The Virus That Inspired “Contagion” Returns: Nipah Triggers Nationwide Alert

Indian health authorities are scrambling to contain a rare and deadly Nipah virus outbreak after confirmed cases emerged among healthcare workers in West Bengal, prompting a nationwide alert and intensified surveillance measures.

Two nurses working at a private hospital in Barasat, near Kolkata, tested positive for the bat-borne virus, with one patient reported to be in critical condition. The cases have raised fears of undetected spread, particularly within hospital settings where Nipah has historically posed a grave risk to frontline workers.

Hospital Cluster Sparks Emergency Response

According to officials from West Bengal’s Health and Family Welfare Department, both nurses were on duty together between December 28 and 30. They developed high fevers and respiratory distress days later and were admitted to intensive care as their conditions worsened.

Preliminary investigations suggest the virus may have been contracted while treating a patient with severe respiratory symptoms who later died before testing could be conducted. Health authorities are treating that patient as the suspected index case, while investigations continue.

In response to the Nipah virus, local officials imposed quarantine, contact tracing and emergency surveillance, testing at least 180 people so far and isolating 20 high-risk contacts. All have tested negative to date, though monitoring will continue through the full 21-day incubation period.

Nationwide Alert as States Heighten Surveillance

India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a nationwide advisory, urging states to strengthen detection and reporting systems. Several states, including Tamil Nadu, have instructed hospitals to closely monitor cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)—a condition that can mask Nipah infections.

“Patients with AES, particularly those with travel or contact history linked to West Bengal, should be evaluated for possible Nipah virus infection,” one advisory warned.

Health experts say expanding AES screening is critical to preventing missed diagnoses. “Human-to-human transmission frequently occurs in hospitals,” said a senior health official involved in Nipah surveillance. “When cases are not recognised early, healthcare workers face the highest risk.”

Why Nipah Virus Is So Dangerous

Classified by the World Health Organization as a priority pathogen, Nipah virus has a fatality rate of up to 75%. The infection typically begins with fever, vomiting and fatigue, progressing rapidly to respiratory distress and brain inflammation (encephalitis). In some cases, neurological complications can appear months or even years later.

There is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for Nipah, making early detection, isolation and infection control the primary defences.

The virus is carried by fruit bats and can spread to humans through contaminated food, infected animals such as pigs, or direct contact with bodily fluids like saliva and respiratory droplets.

A Familiar Threat With Global Implications

India has faced sporadic Nipah outbreaks in recent years, particularly in Kerala, where dozens have died since 2018. Scientists warn that increased human-wildlife interaction raises the risk of future spillovers—and potentially more transmissible strains.

As authorities race to contain the current cluster, the outbreak underscores a stark reality: emerging zoonotic diseases remain one of the biggest threats to global health security, and hospitals remain the front line in preventing the next epidemic.