Nipah Spread Risk From India Low, No Need For Travel Or Trade Curbs: WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has clarified that "the risk of the deadly Nipah virus spreading from India remains low" and does not warrant any travel or trade restrictions, even as two cases of the infection were confirmed in West Bengal.

WHO said it has been working closely with Indian health authorities and found "no evidence yet of increased human-to-human transmission". "Based on current evidence, WHO does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions," the organization noted.

The two cases were reported from North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, an area that has witnessed Nipah outbreaks in the past. Both patients are 25-year-old nurses, a woman, and a man, employed at the same private hospital in Barasat.

According to ministry health officials, they developed initial symptoms in the last week of December 2025, which rapidly progressed to neurological complications, and were placed in isolation in early January.

In its South-East Asia Region Epidemiological Bulletin, the WHO said an extensive public health response was triggered following the detection of the cases. A total of 196 contacts linked to the two patients were identified, traced, monitored, and tested.

"All contacts were asymptomatic and tested negative for Nipah virus infection," the body said, adding that as of January 27, no additional cases had been detected. "The likelihood of spread to other Indian states or internationally is considered low."

The organisation maintained that it considers the risk at the sub-national level in West Bengal to be moderate, due to the presence of fruit bat reservoirs in border areas and the possibility of sporadic spillover. While at the national, regional, and global level the risk remains low.

Following the confirmation of the cases in India, several regions in South Asia including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam have tightened airport screening measures this week as a precaution against potential spread.

The central government has deployed an outbreak response team to West Bengal to work alongside state authorities. Enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control measures, and field investigations are currently underway. The WHO said coordinated efforts between central and state health teams have enabled swift action to contain the virus.

At the same time, the body cautioned that further exposure to the virus cannot be ruled out, as Nipah circulates naturally in bat populations in parts of India and neighbouring Bangladesh.

"Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease transmitted mainly from bats to humans, sometimes through contaminated food or close contact. With no licensed vaccine or treatment currently available, early detection, supportive care, and strong infection prevention measures remain essential," the WHO said.

The exact source of infection in the current cases has not been fully determined, the WHO said. The organisation classifies Nipah as a priority pathogen because there are no approved vaccines or treatments, the virus has a high fatality rate, and there is concern it could evolve into a more easily transmissible form.

Past outbreaks of Nipah in the WHO South-East Asia Region have been confined largely to India and Bangladesh, typically appearing sporadically or in small clusters. Transmission between humans is uncommon and usually limited to healthcare settings or close family contacts, with no confirmed instances of international spread via travel.

This marks India's seventh documented Nipah outbreak and the third in West Bengal, following previous episodes in Siliguri in 2001 and Nadia in 2007. The affected areas border Bangladesh, where Nipah infections are reported almost annually.

While several vaccine candidates are under development, the WHO emphasised that early detection and supportive medical care, particularly intensive treatment for severe respiratory or neurological symptoms, remain crucial for improving survival chances.

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