Two suspected cases of Nipah virus infection were detected at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) at AIIMS Kalyani in West Bengal on January 11, official sources said on Monday, prompting swift intervention by the Centre.
Given the serious nature of Nipah virus infection, a zoonotic disease with a high fatality rate and potential for rapid transmission—the situation is being handled with utmost priority, the sources said. One of the suspected cases had a recent travel history to Ghugragachi in Nadia district, located close to the India–Bangladesh border, raising concerns over possible exposure routes.
Immediately after the cases were flagged, the Union Health Secretary held discussions with the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Health) of West Bengal to review the situation and ensure a coordinated response.
A national joint outbreak response team has been deployed to assist the state government with containment and public health measures. The team includes 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 under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
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The Centre has also shared Nipah virus management guidelines with the state’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) unit under a communicable disease alert. In addition, the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi has been activated to coordinate the national response.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda has written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, assuring full support from the Centre. He also spoke to the Chief Minister over the telephone and reiterated the Centre’s commitment to provide all necessary assistance in managing the situation.
According to official sources, the Union government is extending comprehensive technical, logistical and operational support to the state. Essential measures—including enhanced surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, infection prevention and control protocols, case management, and expert guidance—have already been mobilised.
The West Bengal government has been advised to maintain close coordination with the deployed expert teams and to carry out meticulous contact tracing, along with other containment measures. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said it is closely monitoring developments in coordination with the state authorities.
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