Bengal identifies 2 suspected cases of Nipah virus, Health Minister JP Nadda assures full support

January 12, 2026

New Delhi: Two suspected cases of Nipah virus disease, listed as a high-priority pathogen by the World Health Organization (WHO), have been identified in West Bengal, according to official sources on Monday. The cases were detected on Sunday at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL), ICMR, AIIMS Kalyani.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is closely monitoring the situation. Union Health Minister JP Nadda has written to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assuring full support, and also spoke to her over the telephone, reiterating the Centre’s commitment to extend all necessary assistance to the state in managing the situation.

Centre Coordinates Rapid Response with State Authorities

Given that Nipah is a zoonotic disease with high mortality and potential for rapid spread, the situation is being handled with utmost priority by the Central government. “Immediately upon receipt of information, the Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, held discussions with the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Health), Government of West Bengal, to review the situation and ensure swift and coordinated action,” sources said.

A National Joint Outbreak Response Team has been deployed to support the state government in containment and public health response measures.

Expert Teams Deployed, Surveillance and Support Strengthened

The response team includes 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 under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Central government guidelines on Nipah Virus Disease under the Communicable Disease Alert have been shared with the State Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) unit. The Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi, has also been activated to coordinate the national response.

“All essential resources, including laboratory support, enhanced surveillance, case management, infection prevention and control measures, and expert guidance, have already been mobilised,” sources said. The state has also been advised to ensure close coordination with expert teams and undertake meticulous contact tracing and other containment measures.

About Nipah Virus Disease

Nipah virus disease is an emerging zoonotic infection caused by the Nipah virus (NiV). It can lead to acute encephalitis, severe respiratory illness and, in many cases, death. First identified in Malaysia in 1999, the virus has caused repeated outbreaks across South and Southeast Asia, including India, with reported mortality rates ranging between 40 and 75 per cent.