The World Health Organization stated that it is closely monitoring the fatal virus cases in India and that there is no need for any travel or trade restrictions because the danger of Nipah virus transmission is still minimal. The international health organization reported two instances of the Nipah virus in two 25-year-old nurses who worked at the same private hospital in the North 24 Parganas region of West Bengal in its most recent Epidemiological Bulletin. The nurses were a woman and a guy. According to the WHO, the healthcare personnel’ first symptoms appeared in the final week of December 2025 and quickly escalated into neurological issues. Early in January, the two were put in isolation.
Following confirmation, a massive public health response was activated. 196 people in all who came into touch with the verified cases were found, tracked down, observed, and tested. According to the WHO, all contacts have not shown any symptoms and have tested negative for the Nipah virus. As of right now, no new Nipah cases have been found. “Based on current evidence, WHO does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions,” the statement continued. “The situation is being monitored.” Amid reports of numerous countries instituting Covid-style inspections at airports over fear of spread, the UN health organization declared that the risk of transmission remains minimal.
Given the existence of fruit bat reservoirs in the border regions between India and Bangladesh and the potential for occasional zoonotic spillover, WHO rates the risk at the subnational level in West Bengal as moderate. Nonetheless, the risk at the national, regional, and international levels is still minimal, according to the WHO. There have been no reports of travel while sick, and the illnesses are limited to the North 24 Parganas district. Surveillance and infection control efforts have been stepped up, and all known contacts have tested negative. It further stated that there is little chance of it spreading to other Indian states or outside. After outbreaks in Siliguri (2001) and Nadia (2007), this is the third Nipah outbreak in West Bengal and the ninth in India.
