Hyderabad: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the risk of the deadly Nipah virus spreading from India remains low and does not warrant any travel or trade restrictions, following the confirmation of two infections in the country.
The WHO said there is currently no evidence of increased human-to-human transmission linked to the two cases. The agency added that Indian health authorities have the capacity and experience to contain such outbreaks and that it is working closely with them to monitor the situation.
Several Asian locations, including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, have nevertheless stepped up airport screening measures this week as a precautionary step after India confirmed the infections.
The WHO noted that while the risk of wider transmission is low, it cannot fully rule out further exposure, as the virus circulates naturally among fruit bats in parts of India and neighbouring Bangladesh.
Nipah virus is carried by fruit bats and can also spread through animals such as pigs. In humans, it can cause fever and severe brain inflammation. The virus has a high fatality rate, ranging between 40 percent and 75 percent. There is currently no licensed treatment or vaccine, although several candidates are under development and testing.
Transmission to humans usually occurs through contact with infected bats or fruit contaminated by them. Person-to-person spread is possible but generally requires prolonged and close contact, making widespread transmission less likely. Health experts say small outbreaks are not unusual, and the risk to the general public remains low.
The source of the latest infections has not yet been fully identified, the WHO said. Nipah is classified as a priority pathogen due to its high fatality rate, lack of approved treatments, and the potential risk of mutation into a more easily transmissible form.
Nipah not new to india
The two infected health workers, identified in late December in India’s eastern state of West Bengal, are currently receiving hospital treatment, according to local authorities.
India has reported sporadic Nipah cases over the years, particularly in the southern state of Kerala, considered one of the world’s highest-risk regions for the virus. Since its first appearance there in 2018, Nipah has been linked to dozens of deaths.
The current outbreak is the seventh documented in India and the third in West Bengal. Previous outbreaks in the state occurred in 2001 and 2007 in districts bordering Bangladesh, which reports Nipah outbreaks almost every year, the WHO said.
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