Nipah Spread Risk From India Remains Low, No Need for Travel or Trade Curbs: WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that the risk of the Nipah virus spreading from India remains low and does not justify any travel or trade restrictions, even as two cases were confirmed in West Bengal.

In a statement, the WHO said it is working closely with Indian health authorities and has found “no evidence of increased human-to-human transmission.” Based on current data, the agency said, there is no need for restrictions on international travel or trade.

The two confirmed cases were reported from North 24 Parganas district. Both patients are 25-year-old nurses—a man and a woman—working at the same private hospital in Barasat. They developed symptoms in late December 2025, which quickly progressed to neurological complications, and were placed in isolation in early January.

According to the WHO’s South-East Asia Region Epidemiological Bulletin, an extensive public health response was launched after the cases were detected. Authorities identified and monitored 196 contacts linked to the patients. All were asymptomatic and tested negative for the virus. As of January 27, no additional cases had been reported.

“The likelihood of spread to other Indian states or internationally is considered low,” the WHO said.

However, the organisation noted that the risk remains moderate at the sub-national level in West Bengal due to the presence of fruit bat reservoirs and the possibility of sporadic spillover. At the national, regional, and global levels, the risk continues to be low.

Following the confirmation of the cases, several regions in South Asia—including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam—have tightened airport screening as a precaution.

The central government has deployed an outbreak response team to assist state authorities. Enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing, infection control measures, and field investigations are underway. The WHO said close coordination between central and state health teams has enabled swift containment efforts.

At the same time, the agency warned that further exposure cannot be ruled out, as Nipah virus circulates naturally among bat populations in parts of India and Bangladesh.

Nipah is a zoonotic disease transmitted mainly from bats to humans, either through contaminated food or close contact. There is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment. The WHO stressed that early detection, supportive care, and strong infection prevention measures remain critical.

The source of infection in the current cases has not yet been determined. The WHO classifies Nipah as a priority pathogen due to its high fatality rate, lack of approved treatments, and potential to become more easily transmissible.

Past outbreaks in the region have largely been confined to India and Bangladesh, typically appearing in small clusters. Human-to-human transmission is uncommon and usually limited to healthcare settings or close family contacts. There have been no confirmed cases of international spread through travel.

This is India’s seventh recorded Nipah outbreak and the third in West Bengal, following earlier episodes in Siliguri in 2001 and Nadia in 2007. The affected areas border Bangladesh, where Nipah infections are reported almost every year.

While several vaccine candidates are under development, the WHO reiterated that early diagnosis and intensive supportive care—especially for severe neurological or respiratory symptoms—remain essential for improving survival rates.