West Bengal is on alert after two suspected cases of the Nipah virus were reported. The cases were identified at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at AIIMS Kalyani. The suspected patients are a male nurse and a female nurse who work at the same private hospital in Barasat in North 24 Parganas district.
Both healthcare workers are in critical condition and are currently on ventilator support. According to officials, they developed symptoms after returning home in December. They were later admitted to the Barasat hospital where they are employed. Doctors observed symptoms that match those commonly seen in Nipah virus infections.
The state government has started precautionary measures to prevent any possible spread. Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty confirmed that contact tracing is already underway. Blood samples from the two patients have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for final confirmation. Senior officials from the Union health ministry and the West Bengal government are in constant communication to manage the situation.
Meetings have been held to coordinate monitoring efforts in North 24 Parganas, East Burdwan, and East Midnapore, as these are the districts where the nurses had recently travelled. Health teams are keeping a close watch on these areas.
Nipah virus is a disease that spreads from animals to humans. Fruit bats are known to carry the virus. People can get infected by coming into contact with food or surfaces contaminated by bat saliva or urine, or through close contact with an infected person. The virus is considered very dangerous, with a high death rate of around 70 percent.
Health experts are particularly concerned because both suspected cases involve nurses. This raises the possibility that the infection could have spread within a hospital setting, which may put other healthcare workers and patients at risk.
State Health Secretary N. S. Nigam said that West Bengal has enough facilities to test for Nipah virus and that the situation is being monitored closely. One of the major challenges with Nipah virus is that early symptoms often look like common flu or respiratory infections, which can delay diagnosis.
As part of preventive steps, health authorities are identifying and monitoring people who may have come in contact with the two nurses. Those identified have been advised to stay at home and isolate themselves. Surveillance has been increased in the affected districts to quickly detect any new cases.
While authorities are waiting for the test results from Pune, efforts are focused on treating the two nurses and ensuring strict safety measures are followed. The situation highlights the ongoing risk of diseases that spread from animals to humans and the importance of strong public health monitoring and quick response systems.
