The outbreak is the seventh recorded in India and the third in West Bengal, which has reported outbreaks nearly yearly, with outbreaks occurring within the area bordering Bangladesh in 2001 and 2007, in keeping with WHO. File | Photograph credit score: Reuters
The chance of the lethal Nipah virus spreading from India is low, the World Well being Group mentioned on Friday (January 30, 2026), including that it doesn’t suggest any journey or commerce restrictions after two instances of the virus had been reported in India.
Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are among the many Asian nations this week which have stepped up airport screening to stop the unfold of the virus, after a case was confirmed in India.
“WHO considers the chance of additional unfold of an infection from these two instances to be low,” the company mentioned. Reuters In an e mail on Friday (January 30, 2026), it added that India has the capability to comprise such an outbreak.
“There may be nonetheless no proof of elevated human-to-human transmission,” the ministry mentioned, including it was coordinating with Indian well being authorities.
Nonetheless, the potential of additional publicity to the virus couldn’t be dominated out, because the virus is widespread in bat populations in elements of India and neighboring Bangladesh.
The virus is transmitted by animals corresponding to fruit bats and pigs and might trigger fever and mind irritation. The mortality fee is 40% to 75%, and there’s no treatment, though vaccines in growth are nonetheless being examined.
It spreads to people from contaminated bats and contaminated fruit, however human-to-human transmission is troublesome as a result of it often requires long-term contact with an contaminated individual.
Small outbreaks are usually not unusual, and virologists say the chance to the final inhabitants stays low.
The supply of the an infection shouldn’t be but totally understood, the WHO mentioned. The report classifies Nipah as a precedence pathogen as a result of lack of accredited vaccines and coverings, excessive mortality fee, and the chance of mutating into extra contagious variants.
This isn’t the primary time Nipah has come to India.
Two well being employees contaminated in West Bengal state in late December are being handled in hospital, native authorities mentioned.
India often reviews sporadic Nipah infections, with the state of Kerala specifically thought-about one of many world’s highest threat areas for the virus, which has been linked to dozens of deaths because it first emerged in 2018.
The outbreak is the seventh recorded in India and the third in West Bengal, which has reported outbreaks nearly yearly, with outbreaks occurring within the area bordering Bangladesh in 2001 and 2007, in keeping with WHO.
