According to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), West Bengal has recorded only two confirmed Nipah cases from December of last year to the present. In response to these cases, the Indian government and West Bengal state health officials synchronised their efforts to launch extensive public health protocols. Health agencies successfully identified and tested 196 individuals who had come into contact with infected patients. Official reports confirm that all identified contacts tested negative for the virus and remained symptom-free. The WHO notes this is India's seventh documented encounter with the virus and the third for West Bengal, following previous outbreaks near the Bangladesh border in 2001 and 2007.

Source: Mint January 30, 2026 17:35 UTC