Region on watch as India declares Nipah virus outbreak contained

28-Jan-2026

.

Seeking to dampen alarm in the region, Indian officials have declared that an outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus has been contained.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Jan 27 that it has ensured “timely containment” as it confirmed two cases in West Bengal state. Several Asian countries have introduced screening procedures for travellers arriving from India.

The ministry said 196 contacts linked to the confirmed cases had been “identified, traced, monitored, and tested”, with all tests for the virus negative. It said the statement was intended to clarify “speculative and incorrect figures” in the media.

“The situation is under constant monitoring, and all necessary public health measures are in place,” it said, adding that “enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing, and field investigations” had been undertaken.

The zoonotic Nipah virus, first identified during a 1990s outbreak in Malaysia, spreads through fruit bats, pigs and human-to-human contact.

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

The virus has an estimated death rate of between 40-75 percent, according to the World Health Organization, making it far more deadly than the coronavirus.