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Two Suspected Nipah Virus Cases Detected in West Bengal; Nurses Hospitalized

Two nurses from a Barasat hospital in West Bengal have been identified as suspected cases of the Nipah virus and are currently in intensive care. State health officials are conducting urgent contact tracing in the districts of Nadia, East Burdwan, and North 24 Parganas. A national joint outbreak response team with experts from multiple institutes has been deployed to assist the state government. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda has spoken with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, assuring the Centre's full support in managing the situation.

Key Points: Suspected Nipah Cases in Bengal: Nurses Hospitalized, Contact Tracing On

  • Two nurses are suspected Nipah cases
  • Contact tracing underway in three districts
  • National outbreak response team deployed
  • Union Health Minister assures full support
2 min read

Two suspected Nipah cases detected in Bengal; both individuals hospitalised

Two nurses in West Bengal are suspected Nipah virus cases. Health officials are tracing contacts as national and state teams coordinate the response.

Two suspected Nipah cases detected in Bengal; both individuals hospitalised
"The state health department is keeping a close watch on the situation - State Health Officials"

Kolkata, Jan 12

Two suspected cases of Nipah virus disease were identified on January 11 at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, ICMR, AIIMS Kalyani in West Bengal.

Both the affected persons are nurses and are currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital, West Bengal Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty and state Health Secretary Narayan Swoop Nigam confirmed on Monday.

They said the state health department is keeping a close watch on the situation and is trying to trace the persons who came in contact with the two nurses after they were suspected to have been affected by the Nipah virus.

Both the nurses are attached to a hospital at Barasat, the district headquarters of North 24 Parganas. Both are now admitted to the intensive care unit of a private hospital.

One is a resident of Nadia district and the other is a resident of East Burdwan district. Hence, attempts to trace the persons who came in contact with them after they were suspected to have been affected are mainly concentrated in Nadia, East Burdwan and North 24 Parganas districts.

Immediately upon receipt of information, the Union Health Secretary held discussions with Chakraborty and Nigam to review the situation and ensure swift and coordinated action.

A national joint outbreak response team has been deployed to support the state government in containment and public health response measures.

The team comprises 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, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

It is learnt that the Union government's guidelines on Nipah Virus Disease under the Communicable Disease Alert have been shared with the State Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) unit.

In addition, the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi, has been activated to coordinate the national response.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda has written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, assuring full support from the Union government.

J.P. Nadda also spoke to the Chief Minister over the telephone and reiterated the Centre's commitment to extend all necessary assistance to the state in managing the situation, according to a statement issued by the Union health ministry.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Frontline workers are always at the highest risk. Salute to these nurses. The government must ensure all healthcare staff in the area have proper PPE and protocols are followed strictly. Let's not have another Kerala-like situation.
R
Rohit P
The article mentions the Dept of Wildlife is involved in the team. That's crucial. Last time, fruit bats were the source. Need to identify the animal reservoir quickly to prevent further spread.
S
Sarah B
While the response seems coordinated, I hope the information flow to the public is clear and transparent. Panic helps no one. Clear guidelines on symptoms and when to seek help should be widely circulated in local languages.
V
Vikram M
Nadia, Burdwan, North 24 Parganas... these are densely populated districts. Contact tracing will be a massive task. Authorities must act fast. Public cooperation is also key – if you're contacted, please isolate.
M
Michael C
Respectfully, I hope this isn't another case of political blame-games between the centre and state. Health crises require unity. The article shows positive steps, but the real test is on the ground. Focus on the people, not politics.
A
Ananya R
Having experts from NIV Pune and NIE Chennai on the ground is reassuring. India has built good capacity after previous outbreaks

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