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last mo.

Nipah Cluster in West Bengal Prompts Quarantines and Regional Airport Screening

Officials describe the situation as a hospital-linked cluster with no deaths reported so far as surveillance ramps up and bat testing proceeds.

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Overview

  • India has confirmed five infections among healthcare workers in West Bengal, with roughly 100 to 110 contacts quarantined at the affected hospital for monitoring.
  • Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan have expanded airport triage, Thai hubs in Bangkok and Phuket screened inbound travelers, and China is monitoring the risk with no domestic cases reported.
  • Indian investigation teams are conducting RT-PCR testing of bats across parts of West Bengal to help identify the outbreak’s source.
  • Nipah is a zoonotic virus tied to Pteropus fruit bats, with transmission reported via contaminated food, infected animals such as pigs, and close contact with patients, and it lacks a vaccine or specific antiviral treatment.
  • WHO guidance and expert assessments note historically high fatality rates of about 40%–75% but emphasize limited human-to-human transmission, calling for vigilance and strong hospital infection control.