Two Nipah Virus Cases Detected in West Bengal

Two suspected cases of Nipah virus infection were detected in West Bengal on January 12, 2026, prompting a swift coordinated response from state and central health authorities to contain the highly contagious zoonotic disease.

The cases involve two healthcare workers, a male and a female nurse, employed at a private hospital in Barasat, North 24 Parganas district. Both are in critical condition and receiving ventilator support in the hospital's isolation ward. Preliminary tests conducted at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at AIIMS Kalyani confirmed the suspicions, according to officials from the West Bengal health department. One nurse resides in Nadia district, while the other is from Katwa in Purba Bardhaman district. State officials reported that both had recently traveled to Purba Bardhaman for personal reasons, which may have contributed to their exposure.

Contact tracing efforts are underway across North 24 Parganas, Purba Bardhaman, and Nadia districts to identify potential exposures. The state government has established three helpline numbers—033-23330180, 9874708858, and 9836046212—for public inquiries and reporting of symptoms. A senior health department...