Nipah Virus: WHO Assessment Follows New Asia-Wide Travel Protocols

WORLD (Azat TV) – An outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus in India’s eastern state of West Bengal has triggered heightened health screenings across several Asian airports and updated travel advisories, even as the World Health Organization (WHO) offered a measured assessment that the risk of wider spread remains low. The current focus is on two health workers who were infected in late December 2025 and whose cases were reported in February 2026, prompting immediate contact tracing and regional responses.

The WHO confirmed it is coordinating closely with Indian health authorities, stating there is currently no evidence of increased human-to-human transmission. The agency expressed confidence in India’s capacity to contain such outbreaks, telling Reuters that the risk of further infection spread from these two cases is considered low.

Nipah Virus: Regional Response and WHO Assessment

The confirmed Nipah cases, involving two healthcare professionals in West Bengal, spurred a rapid, coordinated response across Asia. In early February 2026, nations including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam tightened airport health screenings for passengers arriving from India. Thailand and Nepal specifically began testing travelers from West Bengal at both airports and land border points, according to BBC reporting. Pakistan also introduced new testing and monitoring protocols.

Beyond travel screenings, several countries issued updated advisories. New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, for instance, released fresh guidance for travelers to India, recommending strict hand hygiene, avoidance of contact with bats and sick pigs, and a clear directive to steer clear of raw date palm sap. Similar advice was echoed by health authorities in Guernsey and the UK, urging individuals who fall ill after visiting affected areas to seek immediate medical attention and disclose their travel history.

India’s health ministry confirmed that 196 contacts related to the two confirmed cases had been traced and tested, underscoring the proactive containment efforts. Despite the rigorous regional alerts, the WHO’s assessment aims to provide perspective, emphasizing that while further exposure cannot be entirely ruled out, the overall risk to the general population remains low due to the virus’s specific transmission characteristics.

Understanding Nipah Transmission and Symptoms

Nipah virus is classified as a zoonotic virus, meaning it primarily transmits from animals to humans. Fruit bats are considered the natural reservoir for Nipah, and the virus can also infect animals like pigs. Human infection typically occurs through direct contact with infected animals, consumption of fruit contaminated with bat saliva or urine, or, notably, through raw date palm sap, a well-documented vehicle for spillover, as highlighted by Evrimagaci.org.

While person-to-person transmission is possible, it generally requires prolonged close contact with an infected individual’s bodily fluids, making widespread community transmission less likely. This characteristic is a key factor in virologists’ assessment of a low risk to the general population.

The virus can cause a range of severe symptoms. Early signs, often appearing within four to 14 days, can resemble the flu, including fever, severe headaches, and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, symptoms can rapidly progress to severe brain inflammation (encephalitis), seizures, loss of consciousness, and neurological symptoms such as jerky movements or sudden behavioral changes, including psychosis, potentially leading to a coma within a week. The WHO reports a high fatality rate for Nipah, ranging from 40 to 75 per cent, and survivors may suffer long-term neurological effects.

Currently, there is no licensed vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah virus, though several vaccine candidates are in development. A promising therapy on the horizon is a monoclonal antibody known as m102.4, which is currently under development in Australia. Due to its high fatality rate, lack of approved treatments, and the theoretical risk of mutation into a more transmissible form, the WHO classifies Nipah as a priority pathogen.

Prevention and Global Vigilance Against Nipah

Given the absence of specific treatments, prevention remains the most effective defense against Nipah virus. Health authorities worldwide, including New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, advocate for measures focused on reducing animal-to-human transmission. These include avoiding contact with bats and sick pigs, ensuring all food is fully cooked, and thoroughly washing and peeling fruits before consumption. Strict hand hygiene is also crucial, particularly in affected areas.

Small, localized Nipah outbreaks are not uncommon. The virus was first identified in Malaysia in the late 1990s, and globally, fewer than 800 cases have been recorded since then, though experts believe infections may be under-reported in parts of Asia with limited surveillance. India has reported seven documented outbreaks since the virus first emerged in the country, with recurring cases in the southern state of Kerala, recognized as a high-risk region. The current outbreak in West Bengal marks the state’s third, following previous incidents in 2001 and 2007. Neighboring Bangladesh also reports Nipah infections almost annually.

Experts emphasize that while vigilance is necessary, the inherent difficulty of sustained human-to-human transmission limits the potential for a widespread pandemic. The global response, characterized by rapid information sharing and coordinated screening measures, reflects an adaptive approach to containing outbreaks of highly lethal pathogens like Nipah.

The contrast between localized outbreaks of highly virulent pathogens like Nipah and the global community’s rapid, if sometimes disparate, response highlights an ongoing challenge in public health: balancing the need for immediate, decisive action with accurate risk communication to prevent undue panic, especially when specific treatments are unavailable.