India has confirmed two Nipah virus cases in West Bengal. Health authorities are containing the situation amid misinformation and increased health screenings at some airports in Asia.
Nipah is a zoonotic virus that spreads from animals to humans. It has no approved cure and carries a high fatality risk. Fruit bats are the main natural carriers.
People can get infected by eating fruit or date palm sap contaminated by bats, through close contact with infected people or animals, or by contact with bodily fluids.
After entering the body, the virus multiplies in the respiratory tract, spreads through the bloodstream, inflames blood vessels, and can reach the brain, causing severe encephalitis.
Symptoms often begin like the flu, including fever, headache, muscle pain, fatigue, cough, or breathing difficulty. Severe cases may progress to seizures or loss of consciousness.
Nipah outbreaks are rare but recurring. They have appeared almost every year in parts of Asia between December and April, linked to raw date palm sap harvesting.
Wash fruits well before eating. Avoid raw date palm sap and fallen or bitten fruit. Watch for symptoms and report illness early. Use gloves when handling sick animals.
There is no approved vaccine or cure. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms, along with intensive neurological and critical care in severe cases.
Several Nipah vaccines are in trial stages, including ChAdOx1 NipahB. A reserve of up to one lakh doses is being planned for emergency use during future outbreaks.
Nearly 200 close contacts have been monitored, tested, and quarantined. No additional cases have been detected. Neighbouring countries have begun health screenings.