West Bengal is on high alert after two confirmed Nipah cases triggered international screenings. Know why this deadly virus is a major public health threat.

Nipah virus cases in West Bengal have prompted heightened surveillance across Asia, with airports and border crossings implementing health screenings. While not highly transmissible like COVID-19, Nipah has a high fatality rate and spreads through close contact,

Fruit bats have been identified as the most likely cause of subsequent outbreaks. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

India confirmed 2 laboratory-confirmed cases of Nipah virus infection in the state of West Bengal in January 2026; both patients were 25-year-old nurses employed at the same private hospital in Barasat and developed neurologic complications after symptom onset in late December 2025. 1

New cases of Nipah virus (NiV) have emerged in West Bengal, India, raising concerns in Asian countries. Five people have been confirmed infected in the state so far, including a doctor and a nurse. In response,

By Jennifer Rigby LONDON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Airport screenings for Nipah virus, which have been stepped up across Asia this week after two cases were identified in India, are more about reassurance than science,

Earlier this month, two health workers at a private hospital at Barasat in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal had tested positive for Nipah virus