WHO Says Low Risk of Nipah Virus Spreading Beyond India

The World Health Organization (WHO) has assessed the risk of the Nipah virus spreading beyond India as low, following the confirmation of two recent infections, and has advised against the imposition of travel or trade restrictions.

In a statement issued on Friday, the UN health agency said there is currently no evidence of increased human-to-human transmission, adding that Indian health authorities have the capacity to contain isolated outbreaks.

“The WHO considers the risk of further spread of infection from these two cases to be low,” the agency said, noting that it is working closely with Indian officials to monitor the situation.

Despite the assessment, several Asian territories, including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, have tightened airport screening measures as a precautionary response to the reported cases.

The WHO acknowledged that further exposure to the virus cannot be entirely ruled out, as Nipah naturally circulates among bat populations in parts of India and neighbouring Bangladesh.

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease primarily transmitted to humans from fruit bats or through contact with contaminated fruit or infected animals such as pigs. The virus can cause severe illness, including fever and encephalitis (brain inflammation), and carries a high fatality rate estimated between 40 and 75 percent.

There is currently no licensed treatment or vaccine, although several candidates remain under development and testing. Human-to-human transmission is possible but typically requires close and prolonged contact, making widespread transmission less likely.

Health experts note that small, contained outbreaks are not uncommon, and the overall risk to the general population remains low.

The WHO has classified Nipah as a priority pathogen due to its high mortality rate, absence of approved treatments, and concerns that it could potentially mutate into a more transmissible form.

The two confirmed infections involve health workers in West Bengal, who were hospitalised in late December and are currently receiving treatment, according to local authorities.

India has reported sporadic Nipah outbreaks over the years, particularly in the southern state of Kerala, one of the world’s highest-risk regions for the virus. Since its emergence there in 2018, Nipah has been linked to dozens of deaths.

According to the WHO, the current incident marks India’s seventh documented Nipah outbreak and the third in West Bengal. Previous outbreaks in the state occurred in 2001 and 2007, both in districts bordering Bangladesh, where Nipah cases are reported almost annually.

The source of the latest infections has not yet been fully determined.