Two instances of Nipah virus, a rare bat-borne pathogen that inspired the movie Contagion, have been verified at a medical facility in India, with one patient in critical condition. This terrifying infection can lead to brain swelling and death, posing a significant danger.
The virus is transmitted to humans through contact with bodily fluids of infected bats, pigs, or individuals, and there is currently no available vaccine. The confirmed cases, both involving nurses at Narayana Multispeciality Hospital in Barasat, West Bengal, have triggered a nationwide alert and the quarantine of locals, raising concerns about potential undetected spread.
According to Mr. Narayan Swaroop Nigam, Principal Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department in West Bengal, “Two nurses at a private hospital have contracted the Nipah virus, with one in critical condition.” The nurses had worked together from December 28 to 30, developing high fevers and respiratory distress before being admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit on January 4, with one falling into a coma.
Officials suspect that both nurses were infected while treating a patient who later died without being tested but exhibited severe respiratory symptoms. Contact tracing efforts are underway for those who interacted with the nurses and the deceased individual, with 180 people tested and 20 high-risk contacts placed in quarantine.
“All of them are asymptomatic and tested negative. We will retest them before the end of their 21-day quarantine,” added Mr. Nigam. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India has issued a nationwide alert, emphasizing preventive measures like surveillance to curb further transmission.
Nipah has been classified as a critical research priority by the World Health Organization due to its potential to trigger a global health crisis. The virus is fatal in up to 85% of cases, initially presenting symptoms such as fever, headaches, pain, vomiting, and sore throat before progressing to deadly brain inflammation. Transmission can occur through contact with infected animals, contaminated food, or direct person-to-person spread.
Oxford University is currently conducting phase one trials for its Nipah vaccine following promising initial results. Experts have warned about the increasing risk of Nipah outbreaks due to heightened human interaction with fruit bats moving into densely populated areas. First identified during a 1999 outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia, the Nipah virus has remained a persistent threat, emerging nearly annually since its first appearance in Bangladesh in 2001. Evidence of this dangerous pathogen has been detected in fruit bat populations across multiple countries, including Cambodia and Thailand.