Two suspected Nipah cases detected in West Bengal; Centre rushes expert teams
Kolkata: Two suspected cases of Nipah virus infection have been detected in West Bengal, prompting the Union government to activate an emergency public-health response and deploy central teams to the state, official sources confirmed on Monday.
The suspected cases were identified at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) at AIIMS Kalyani on January 11. Given the high fatality rate and outbreak potential of Nipah virus, authorities have placed the situation under top priority.
One of the suspected patients reportedly travelled to Ghugragachi in Nadia district near the India–Bangladesh border, officials said.
Soon after receiving the information, the Union Health Secretary held discussions with the West Bengal chief secretary and the state health secretary to review preparedness, surveillance measures, and containment strategies. A national joint outbreak response team has now been deployed to support the state government.
The team comprises experts from the All India Institute of Health and Public Hygiene, Kolkata; National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune; National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), Chennai; AIIMS Kalyani; and the Department of Wildlife, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, they said.
The Centre has activated the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre at the National Centre for Disease Control in New Delhi and issued Nipah-virus alert guidelines to West Bengal’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) unit. Enhanced laboratory testing, contact tracing, infection-control measures and case management protocols have been initiated.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda has written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assuring full central support. He also spoke to her over phone, reiterating assistance in logistics, technical guidance and operational response.
Authorities said all essential resources have been mobilised and the state has been advised to maintain close coordination with expert teams and carry out meticulous contact tracing and containment efforts.