The World Health Organization (WHO) has assessed the likelihood of the Nipah virus spreading beyond India as low, following the confirmation of two recent infections. The agency said it does not advise imposing travel or trade restrictions at this stage.
In an email response to Reuters on Friday, the WHO stated: “The WHO considers the risk of further spread of infection from these two cases is low,” adding that India has the public health capacity needed to manage and contain such outbreaks. The organization also noted, “There is no evidence yet of increased human to human transmission,” and confirmed that it is working closely with Indian health authorities.
Despite the WHO’s reassurance, several Asian regions — including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam — have tightened airport screening measures this week as a precaution after India reported the infections.
The virus, which is naturally carried by fruit bats and can also infect animals such as pigs, causes symptoms ranging from fever to severe brain inflammation. Nipah has a high fatality rate of between 40% and 75% and currently has no approved cure.
While vaccines are under development, they remain in the testing phase.
Human infections typically occur through contact with infected bats or fruit contaminated by them. Person-to-person transmission is possible but uncommon, as it generally requires prolonged close contact. Health experts note that small, contained outbreaks occur from time to time and that the overall risk to the general population remains limited.
The WHO said the exact source of the latest infections has not yet been fully identified and cautioned that further exposure cannot be ruled out. The virus continues to circulate in bat populations across parts of India and neighboring Bangladesh. Due to its high mortality rate, lack of licensed treatments, and potential to evolve into a more easily transmissible form, Nipah is classified by the WHO as a priority pathogen.
A Familiar Threat for India
The two individuals infected in late December are healthcare workers from India’s eastern state of West Bengal and are currently receiving hospital treatment, according to local officials. Nipah is not new to the country, with India reporting sporadic cases over the years — most notably in the southern state of Kerala, considered one of the world’s highest-risk areas for the virus. Since first appearing there in 2018, outbreaks have been linked to dozens of deaths.
According to the WHO, this marks the seventh documented Nipah outbreak in India and the third in West Bengal. Previous outbreaks in the state occurred in 2001 and 2007, both in districts bordering Bangladesh, a country that experiences Nipah outbreaks almost every year.
