India has reported the first fatality in its latest Nipah virus outbreak after a 25-year-old nurse in West Bengal died from complications linked to the infection. Health officials said the patient suffered a secondary lung infection and cardiac arrest while receiving intensive care.
The case is one of two confirmed infections in the state, with the second patient having recovered and been discharged. Authorities say the death marks the first confirmed fatality in the current outbreak, prompting renewed health vigilance.
Officials conducted extensive contact tracing involving around 200 people linked to the cluster. All contacts tested negative, and no new infections have been detected since the initial cases emerged in December. Surveillance and monitoring remain ongoing across West Bengal.
The situation comes amid regional concern following a fatal Nipah case in neighbouring Bangladesh. A woman in her 40s died after developing severe neurological symptoms, with authorities linking the infection to consumption of raw date palm sap, a known transmission route. Dozens of contacts there have also tested negative but remain under observation.
The recent cases have triggered heightened health alerts across Asia and travel advisories in several countries. Public health agencies warn that while the risk of global spread remains low, Nipah carries a high fatality rate of 40–75% and has no specific treatment or widely available vaccine.
Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease primarily carried by fruit bats and can spread through contaminated food or close contact with infected individuals. Health authorities are urging continued vigilance, particularly in regions where outbreaks have historically occurred.
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