Nipah alert in West Bengal: Centre rushes expert response team

The Centre has deployed a National Joint Outbreak Response Team in West Bengal after two suspected cases of Nipah virus disease were identified at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Kalyani om Sunday, January 11. According to the sources, Health and Family Welfare Minister J. P. Nadda on Monday spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee over the telephone, assuring full support from the central government. The sources added that immediately upon receipt of information, the Health and Family Welfare Secretary held discussions with the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of Health of West Bengal to review the situation and ensure swift and coordinated action. As per information,two nurses suspected of being infected by the Nipah virus are on life support at a private hospital in North 24 Parganas’ Barasat.

The sources further stated that all essential resources, including laboratory support, enhanced surveillance, and infection prevention, have already been mobilised. The State has been advised to ensure close coordination with the deployed expert teams and to undertake meticulous contact tracing and other containment measures. Given the serious nature of Nipah virus infection, a zoonotic disease known for its high mortality and potential for rapid spread, the situation is being handled with utmost priority, officials said.

The Centre has shared guidelines on Nipah Virus Disease under the Communicable Disease Alert with the State Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). The Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi has also been activated to coordinate the national response. The Centre is providing comprehensive technical, logistical and operational support to West Bengal. Essential resources, including laboratory support, enhanced surveillance, case management, infection prevention and control measures, and expert guidance, have already been mobilised. The state has been advised to maintain close coordination with the deployed expert teams and to carry out meticulous contact tracing and other containment measures.

The common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, sore throat and in extreme cases patients may develop dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, acute encephalitis, severe respiratory distress and seizures.