Two healthcare employees suspected of being contaminated with the Nipah virus are present process remedy in Barasat metropolis in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, officers stated on Monday (January 12, 2026). The case was detected on Sunday (January 11, 2026) night time at All India Institute of Medical Sciences Kalyani in Nadia district of West Bengal.
West Bengal Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty stated, “The affected person is being handled and noticed. Contact tracing and remedy plans are already in place.” Each sufferers work at hospitals the place they’re being handled, however authorities haven’t but launched the names of the services.
Chakraborty urged folks to not panic and to stay vigilant. She additionally appealed to folks to keep away from spreading misinformation and observe hygiene precautions. The state authorities has additionally opened three helpline numbers. 03323330180, 9874708858, 9836046212 — For public queries.
Chakraborty’s press convention was additionally attended by Well being Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam, however each declined to share additional particulars in regards to the affected person, citing privateness considerations.
State authorities officers stated the 2 sufferers have been visiting Purba Bardhaman on private enterprise. Accordingly, contact tracing is being carried out throughout North 24 Parganas, Purba Bardhaman and Nadia districts. Officers additionally stated the sufferers had not lately traveled exterior West Bengal and authorities have been in contact with their households.
The Middle is dedicated to supporting
In the meantime, the Federal Ministry of Well being introduced that it has deployed the Nationwide Joint Infectious Illness Management Staff to help state governments in containment and public well being response measures. The group contains consultants from the All India Institute of Well being and Public Well being, Kolkata. Nationwide Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. Nationwide Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), Chennai. AIIMS-Kalyani; and the Wildlife Division beneath the Ministry of Setting, Forest and Local weather Change.
“Given the intense nature of Nipah virus an infection, which is a zoonotic illness with a excessive mortality price and the potential for fast unfold, we’re treating it as a high precedence,” a senior well being ministry official stated. The official added that the ministry contacted the West Bengal authorities as quickly because it acquired the knowledge to assessment the state of affairs and guarantee immediate and coordinated motion.
Core tips for this illness are shared with the state Built-in Illness Surveillance Program (IDSP). Moreover, the Public Well being Emergency Operations Middle (PHEOC) of the Nationwide Middle for Illness Management (NCDC) in Delhi has been activated to coordinate the nationwide response.
Union well being minister JP Nadda has additionally written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, assuring full assist from the Centre. “He additionally spoke to the Chief Minister over telephone and reiterated the Middle’s dedication to offer all needed help to the state in controlling the state of affairs,” an official stated.
The middle stated it’s offering complete technical, logistical and operational assist, together with testing providers, enhanced surveillance, case administration, an infection prevention and management measures, and skilled steering. States are suggested to make sure shut coordination with the deployed groups and perform contact tracing and containment measures with utmost care.
In line with sources, Banerjee visited the hospital late on Sunday (January 11, 2026) night time.
Nipah virus
Nipah virus is a illness transmitted by bats. Nevertheless, Subarna Goswami, a senior public well being skilled with experience in epidemiology, stated that in some circumstances it is also transmitted from pigs. He added that every one main and secondary contacts of the affected person should be traced because the incubation interval is between 4 and 14 days. Major contacts are individuals who have been involved with the affected person, and secondary contacts are individuals who have been involved with the first contact.
Dr Goswami stated the federal government must publish the route map of the 2 sufferers to help involved tracing and self-reporting by individuals who might have come into contact with the 2 sufferers. “Bats generally perch on date palm timber and produce date palm sap, which is consumed by folks throughout West Bengal throughout winters. It’s preferable to not devour the uncooked sap as it may be a supply of an infection, however boiled and processed jaggery is okay,” Dr Goswami stated. hinduism Monday (January 12, 2026).
Nipah virus has flu-like signs, together with fever, muscle aches, sore throat, and respiratory sickness. In excessive circumstances, it could possibly trigger extreme respiration difficulties and should even result in convulsions. The illness was first detected in Malaysia’s Kampung Sungai Nipah village in 1999. The virus is known as after this village.
Some sufferers may be asymptomatic carriers of the virus. That is why medical consultants say widespread contact tracing is necessary. There may be at present no vaccine for this illness. Nevertheless, sufferers are remoted and obtain intensive remedy in isolation.
The final outbreak of Nipah virus was seen in West Bengal in 2007. In India, the final Nipah virus outbreak was seen in Kerala in August 2025.
(Info offered by Bindu Shajan Perappadan)
issued – January 12, 2026 10:13pm IST
