Overview
- India confirmed the first Nipah infections in West Bengal since 2007, involving two nurses near Kolkata; one patient has been extubated and the other remains in a coma, and two additional healthcare workers with symptoms tested negative.
- Investigators have traced and tested 196 contacts of the confirmed cases, all of whom are asymptomatic and have returned negative results as efforts continue to identify the source of infection.
- Thailand, Nepal, and Cambodia have launched precautionary steps including public information campaigns and airport checks for travelers arriving from India.
- The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says the most plausible route to Europe is via infected travelers but considers importation unlikely, and Spanish experts note readiness with high-isolation units and a low risk of local spread.
- Nipah carries a high fatality rate of 40–75%, can cause encephalitis with lasting neurological problems, and has no licensed vaccine or specific treatment, leading WHO to keep it on its priority pathogens list.