India has demonstrated its capacity to manage Nipah outbreaks during previous events, and recommended public health measures are being implemented jointly by national and state health teams

West Bengal is on high alert after two confirmed Nipah cases triggered international screenings. Know why this deadly virus is a major public health threat.

Nipah virus cases in West Bengal have prompted heightened surveillance across Asia, with airports and border crossings implementing health screenings. While not highly transmissible like COVID-19, Nipah has a high fatality rate and spreads through close contact,

According to the WHO, the cases are confined to North 24 Parganas district, with no travel reported while the patients were symptomatic. Surveillance, infection prevention and control measures have been strengthened, and the likelihood of spread to other Indian states or internationally is considered low.

India confirmed 2 laboratory-confirmed cases of Nipah virus infection in the state of West Bengal in January 2026; both patients were 25-year-old nurses employed at the same private hospital in Barasat and developed neurologic complications after symptom onset in late December 2025. 1

The World Health Organization (WHO) has mentioned that it does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions in response to the Nipah virus cases reported in West Bengal. It also noted that risk beyond the affected area remains low. The assessment comes after India confirmed two Nipah infections this month in the North 24 Parganas district.

New cases of Nipah virus (NiV) have emerged in West Bengal, India, raising concerns in Asian countries. Five people have been confirmed infected in the state so far, including a doctor and a nurse. In response,

Earlier this month, two health workers at a private hospital at Barasat in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal had tested positive for Nipah virus