Nipah virus cases reported in West Bengal: two nurses infected, quarantine and surveillance stepped up

Two healthcare workers infected; one reported critical

Indian health authorities have confirmed two Nipah virus cases in West Bengal, involving two nurses working at a private hospital near Kolkata. The cases have triggered heightened surveillance and quarantine protocols given Nipah’s reputation as a high-mortality zoonotic infection and the risks associated with healthcare-linked exposure.

Reports cited by international coverage indicate the nurses developed symptoms after working in the hospital during late December, and both were admitted for intensive care after their conditions worsened in early January. One of the nurses was reported to be in a coma, underscoring the seriousness of the infections and the urgency of containment.

Suspected index exposure and contact tracing

Initial investigations suggest the likely source of infection may be a patient who had been admitted to the same hospital with severe respiratory symptoms and later died before being tested, and officials are treating the patient as a suspected index case while inquiries continue.

As of 20 January 2026, authorities said 180 people had been tested for Nipah and 20 high-risk contacts were quarantined, with reported test results negative so far. Officials indicated that quarantine and follow-up testing protocols would continue for the required isolation window, reflecting standard public health practice for high-risk exposure.

Wider surveillance measures, including animal sampling

Because fruit bats are widely considered a natural reservoir for Nipah, the response has also extended to ecological surveillance. Coverage reported that authorities were testing bats at Kolkata’s Alipore Zoo and conducting additional sampling across parts of West Bengal, alongside intensified monitoring for new human cases.

Public health messaging has focused on practical risk reduction: minimising exposure to bats and potentially contaminated produce, improving hygiene practices and strengthening infection-control measures in clinical settings. Officials also stressed that surveillance and containment were being prioritised and that there was no immediate reason for panic, even as precautions remain high.