Nipah virus: Only 2 cases in Kolkata, no wider outbreak, says expert

An infectious disease specialist has dismissed claims of a wider Nipah virus outbreak in Kolkata, confirming only two cases. Suspected cases tested negative, and the situation is stable due to effective government containment and contact tracing.

Amid concerns over the Nipah virus, former State Government Health Advisor and infectious disease specialist Dr Sayan Chakraborty on Monday said that only two confirmed cases have been reported so far, dismissing claims of a wider outbreak.

Speaking to ANI, Dr Chakraborty clarified, "We received an update an hour ago. It stated that there are only two such cases. Some news reports had claimed there were five cases, but that's not true. There were some suspected cases, and those patients were admitted to our Beleghata ID Hospital. Their tests came back negative, and all those patients have already been discharged. No other cases have been found yet."

Containment Measures and Situation Stability

He said that while there were initial apprehensions about a possible rise in cases, the situation has remained stable. "Earlier, it seemed like the cases might increase, but nothing like that has happened. The government has done a good job. All the contact tracing, quarantining everyone, and testing have been done properly. The panic that was there earlier is no longer present, and people have followed all the precautions that were advised," Dr Chakraborty added.

Explaining the containment protocol, Dr Chakraborty noted that the quarantine period for the Nipah virus is longer than that of COVID-19. "The quarantine period for COVID-19 was shorter. For Nipah, the quarantine period is 21 days, and only those who have come into direct contact with a patient are quarantined. Mostly, it's the patient's family members or those working in the hospital who cared for the patient, he said.

Nipah Virus: Symptoms and High Fatality Rate

Detailing the symptoms and severity of the infection, the infectious disease expert said the Nipah virus initially presents like a common viral fever. "There is a lot of headache, whole body. Along with it, there is a pain in the throat, and there is a cough. Cough becomes like pneumonia. There is difficulty in breathing. Then, gradually, the infection spreads in the brain. Eventually, the patient goes into a coma," he explained.

Dr Chakraborty warned that the Nipah virus has a significantly higher death rate compared to COVID-19. "The death rate in Nipah cases ranges between 40 and 80 per cent, whereas in COVID-19 it was less than two per cent," he said.

Expert Cautions Against Premature Relief

Meanwhile, Dr Subarna Goswami, Deputy Assistant Director of Health Services and Superintendent of Darjeeling TB Hospital, said nearly 190 contacts linked to the confirmed cases have been identified and quarantined. "So far, only two patients have tested positive. The remaining contacts, approximately 190 of them, have been sent to quarantine, and those who showed symptoms have also been tested. So far, their swab tests have come back negative, meaning that apart from these two patients, no one else has tested positive yet," he said.

Dr Goswami cautioned against declaring the outbreak over at this stage, citing the long incubation period of the virus. "It's not the time to say that the Nipah outbreak has ended and that no one else will test positive. Because the incubation period of Nipah, the time between the virus entering our body and the appearance of symptoms, ranges from 4 days to 45 days. We will have to search for active cases. We will have to follow up with their contacts. They will have to be kept under supervision. Only then, after three months, can we say that no third case has appeared, and the outbreak is over," he said.

Why Nipah is Highly Dangerous

Highlighting the seriousness of the infection, Dr Goswami said Nipah is extremely dangerous due to the absence of specific treatment or a vaccine and its high fatality rate. "The infection is very dangerous. There are three reasons for this. First, there is no cure for it, there is no specific treatment, no medicine works. Secondly, there is no vaccine or inoculation for it. And the third thing is that its morbidity rate, the fatality ratio, is very high," he said.

Referring to past outbreaks, Dr Goswami said the death rate was around 75 per cent during the Siliguri outbreak in 2001 and reached 100 per cent in Nadia. "When it happened in West Bengal in 2001 in Siliguri, the death rate was 75 per cent, and when it was in Nadia, the death rate was 100 per cent. In Kerala, there have been nine outbreaks to date, from 2018 to 2025, the mortality rate ranges from 50 per cent to 100 per cent, with an average of 91 per cent," Dr Goswami added.

Zoonotic Origin and Supportive Care

Earlier today, Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, Ex-President of IMA Cochin and Convener of the Research Cell, Kerala, on Monday warned that the Nipah virus spreads from bats to humans and can cause severe illness with a high death rate, stressing the importance of early detection to prevent further spread. Jayadevan said there is no specific treatment or vaccine for the Nipah virus, making supportive care and contact tracing critical to prevent its spread, while noting that Nipah is a zoonotic disease that can jump from animals to humans. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)