WHO Closely Monitoring Nipah Cases in India, Says No Need for Travel Curbs

New Delhi: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that the risk of Nipah virus transmission in India remains low and there is no requirement for travel or trade restrictions, even as it continues to closely monitor the situation.

In its latest Epidemiological Bulletin, the WHO reported two confirmed Nipah virus cases involving a 25-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man, both nurses working at the same private hospital in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district.

According to the WHO, the healthcare workers developed initial symptoms in the last week of December 2025, which rapidly progressed to neurological complications. Both were placed in isolation in early January.

After confirmation of the cases, an extensive public health response was initiated. As many as 196 individuals who came into contact with the infected nurses were identified, traced, monitored, and tested. The WHO noted that all contacts have remained asymptomatic and have tested negative for Nipah virus infection.

“No additional Nipah cases have been detected so far, and the situation continues to be monitored,” the WHO said, adding that “based on current evidence, WHO does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions.”

Addressing reports of some countries introducing Covid-style screening measures at airports due to concerns over potential spread, the UN health agency reiterated that the overall risk of transmission remains low.

The WHO assessed the risk at the sub-national level in West Bengal as moderate, citing the presence of fruit bat reservoirs in areas along the India–Bangladesh border and the possibility of sporadic zoonotic spillover. However, it stressed that the national, regional, and global risk levels remain low.

“The cases are limited to the North 24 Parganas district, with no reported travel during the symptomatic period. All identified contacts have tested negative, and surveillance as well as infection prevention measures have been strengthened. The likelihood of spread to other Indian states or internationally is considered low,” the WHO said.

This marks the seventh documented Nipah outbreak in India and the third in West Bengal, following earlier outbreaks in Siliguri in 2001 and Nadia in 2007.

Nipah is a zoonotic virus primarily transmitted from bats to humans, either directly or through contaminated food. It can also spread from animals such as pigs to humans and, in certain cases, from person to person through close and prolonged contact, especially in healthcare settings.

In humans, Nipah virus infection can range from asymptomatic illness to severe respiratory disease and fatal encephalitis. Globally, the case fatality rate is estimated to be between 40 per cent and 75 per cent, depending on early detection and the quality of clinical care. Currently, there is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for the infection.

The WHO advised reducing the risk of bat-to-human transmission by preventing bats from accessing date palm sap, boiling freshly collected sap, thoroughly washing and peeling fruits, discarding fruits showing signs of bat bites, and avoiding areas where bats roost.

With inputs from IANS