The Indian government on Tuesday clarified that there were only two confirmed cases of Nipah virus infection in eastern West Bengal state.

The Indian Ministry of Family and Welfare sought to tamp down panic, as reports about airport screenings across Asian countries began to emerge.

Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan said in recent days they were carrying out screening procedures at airports for travellers from West Bengal.

Hong Kong issued a press release on Monday and said it asked for information from Indian health authorities while carrying out screenings of travellers from West Bengal.

What to know about Nipah virus infections in West Bengal

The Indian government said only two cases were positive since cases were brought to attention in December. Preliminary reports suggested there were five cases in the Indian state, but the issue was clarified due to test results, authorities said.

It can take between four and 21 days after exposure for symptoms of a Nipah virus infection to develop.

A total of 196 contacts related to the confirmed cases were quarantined this time, and they were primarily health workers or family members of people affected.

India’s ANI news agency reported that India’s southern Kerala state has tackled nine outbreaks of the virus between 2018 and 2025.

In 2018, over a dozen people died from the virus, and in 2021, a young boy died, raising alarm among health officials at the time.

What is Nipah virus?

Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus, meaning it can be spread from animals to humans.

It was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore. Though Nipah is most common in fruit bats, the virus can infect other animals like pigs, dogs, goats, horses and sheep as well.

Humans can pick up infection from animals either directly with an infected animal and their secretions, though many human infections result from the consumption of fruits or fruit products (like raw or partially fermented date palm juice) contaminated with saliva or biological waste of infected fruit bats, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

The infection can also spread human-to-human through close contact with an infected person or their body fluids.

There is no vaccine for the virus, which can cause fevers, convulsions and vomiting. The only treatment is supportive care to control complications and keep patients comfortable. (DW)

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Sri Lanka faces a low risk with regard to the Nipah virus outbreak reported in neighbouring India, Sri Lanka’s Health Promotion Bureau stated.

Sharing a statement from the Epidemiology Unit of Sri Lanka’s Health Ministry, the Bureau stated that only 06 cases of Nipah Virus have been reported so far in Kerala, India.

The Epidemiology Unit statement says the latest outbreak in the South Indian State of Kerala, emerged in late August 2023. 

Up to now, 6 people have been infected of which 2 have died. Over 700 people who were suspected to be potential contacts of the infected patients have been quarantined and tested for the infection, with no positive reports as of September 22.

As a precautionary measure and to mitigate potential spread of the disease, the state authorities initiated closure of selected public places in the area of origin of the disease, the statement added. 

Stating that this is the fourth Nipah outbreak to hit Kerala in the past 5 years, the Epidemiology Unit says each time, the disease has been well controlled and timely precautionary measures have been taken to ensure that there is no spread beyond the area of origin of the outbreak.

Full statement on Nipah Virus from the Epidemiology Unit of Sri Lanka’s Health Ministry;

Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus, transmitted predominantly from fruit bats and through food which has been contaminated by body fluids or secretions of infected animals, including directly from human to human via prolonged close contact. In infected people, it can cause a range of illnesses from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis.

Nipah virus was first recognized in 1998 in Malaysia during an outbreak among pig farmers. In total, around 265 people were infected. Thereafter, a small outbreak in Singapore was also reported with a total of 11 infected people. Since then, no further outbreaks had been reported in Malaysia. No spread to other countries was also noted during this period and both countries were able to successfully control the outbreak without international spread. From 2001, the virus again emerged in Bangladesh and frequent small-scale outbreaks have flared up on and off in that country since. The disease was also identified in eastern India (Bengal region) in 2001 and since then, few sporadic small-scale outbreaks have occurred. All such outbreaks have thus far been well controlled and not spread beyond the local area of origin.

The latest outbreak in the South Indian State of Kerala, emerged in late August 2023. Up to now, 6 people have been infected of which 2 have died. Over 700 people who were suspected to be potential contacts of the infected patients have been quarantined and tested for the infection, with no positive reports as of 22.09.2023. As a precautionary measure and to mitigate potential spread of the disease, the state authorities initiated closure of selected public places in the area of origin of the disease. This is the fourth Nipah outbreak to hit Kerala in the past 5 years. Each time, the disease has been well controlled and timely precautionary measures have been taken to ensure that there is no spread beyond the area of origin of the outbreak.

In general, transmission of the disease can occur in several ways – either through unprotected exposure to secretions/tissues from infected animals, or through consumption of fruits or fruit products contaminated with urine or saliva from infected fruit bats. Human to human transmission has so far only been reported mainly by close contacts of the infected patients, via the infected person’s urine, saliva, blood or other secretions.

Human infection ranges from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory infection (mild or severe) and fatal encephalitis. Infected people usually develop fever initially, followed by headaches, myalgia, vomiting and sore throat. This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness and neurological signs indicating acute encephalitis. Some patients can also have pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses including acute respiratory distress. Seizures and encephalitis can occur in severe cases.

The incubation period is believed to range from 4 to 14 days. Most people who survive acute encephalitis make a full recovery, but long-term neurologic conditions have been reported in some survivors. The case fatality rate is estimated at 40 – 75%. However, this rate can vary by outbreak depending on the local capabilities for epidemiological surveillance and clinical management.

Diagnosis is usually through clinical history and main tests involved include RT-PCR from body fluids and ELISA testing. Other tests include PCR assay and virus isolation by cell culture.

There are currently no specific drugs or vaccines for the Nipah virus. Mainstay of treatment is intensive supportive care to treat severe respiratory and neurologic complications.

Fruit bats are the natural reservoir for the Nipah virus. There is no apparent disease in fruit bats. The Nipah virus can cause outbreaks in some domestic animals, primarily pigs where it is highly contagious. An infected pig can exhibit no symptoms, but some can develop feverish illness.

Prevention is mainly through raising awareness of the risk factors and education of the community among the measures that can be taken to reduce exposure to the Nipah virus, by reducing risk of bat-to-human, animal-to-human, and human-to-human transmission. These include thoroughly washing fruits and peeling, prior to consumption including discarding of contaminated fruits or those with animal bites. When handling sick animals or their tissues, protective clothing including gloves and face shields should be worn. Important to avoid close unprotected physical contact with diagnosed Nipah virus-infected patients. Regular handwashing should be carried out after caring for or visiting sick people. Health care staff caring for patients with suspected or confirmed infection, or if handling specimens from them, should implement standard infection control precautions at all times. These measures should also be followed, especially by those travelling to infected areas/localities.

Considering the disease epidemiology, and current outbreak control measures that have been implemented in areas such as Kerala, in the current context, the risk to Sri Lanka is minimal and there is no need for the public to panic. Furthermore, the Health Ministry is closely monitoring the situation and will advise the public on measures to be taken as the need arises. (NewsWire)

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Indian authorities have instituted mass testing to halt the spread of the deadly Nipah virus, which has killed two people in the southern state of Kerala.

Public gatherings were curbed and some schools were shut last week, officials said on Thursday. It is the fourth outbreak in the region since 2018.

Nipah is a rare but serious bat-borne virus that can cause fever, vomiting and respiratory infections in humans. Severe cases can involve seizures and encephalitis – inflammation of the brain – and result in a coma.

The virus has a fatality rate between 40-75%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It has no known vaccine, and the usual treatment is to provide supportive care.

What is the Nipah virus?

The first Nipah outbreak was recorded in 1998 after the virus spread among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore. The virus is named after the village where it was discovered.

It is able to infect humans directly through contact with the bodily fluids of infected bats and pigs, with some documented cases of transmission among humans.

Flying foxes are the natural carriers of the virus. “It’s carried by fruit bats who sit in the tops of trees,” said Joanne Macdonald, an associate professor of molecular engineering at the University of the Sunshine Coast. “They can urinate and contaminate fruit, and when people eat that they get the virus and then they get sick.”

“Once you get it, [the only treatments are] rest, hydration, and treatment of symptoms.”

Scientists fear a mutated, highly transmissible strain will emerge from bats. Outbreaks are rare but Nipah has been listed by the WHO as one of several diseases deserving of priority research for their potential to cause a global epidemic, alongside Ebola, Zika and Covid-19.

Nipah is a type of Henipavirus, and is related to Hendra virus, which was first discovered in Australia and has caused deaths in humans and horses.

What has happened during previous outbreaks?

The first Nipah outbreak in 1998 infected nearly 300 people in Malaysia, killing more than 100, and prompted the culling of one million pigs in an effort to contain the virus.

It also spread to Singapore, with 11 cases and one death among slaughterhouse workers who came into contact with pigs imported from Malaysia.

Since then, the disease has mainly been recorded in Bangladesh and India, with both countries reporting their first outbreaks in 2001. Bangladesh has borne the brunt in recent years, with more than 100 people dying of Nipah since 2001.

More than 600 cases of Nipah virus human infections were reported between 1998 to 2015, according to WHO data.

Two early outbreaks in India killed more than 50 people before they were brought under control.

The southern state of Kerala has recorded two deaths from Nipah and four other confirmed cases since last month. This marks Kerala’s fourth recorded outbreak of Nipah in five years, after other instances in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

The state has managed to stamp out previous outbreaks within a matter of weeks through widespread testing and strict isolation of those in contact with patients. (The Guardian)

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