Indian health officials have said that a Nipah virus outbreak has been contained, as several Asian countries have heightened vigilance against its potential spread.
The Indian Health Ministry stated on Jan. 27 that two cases of Nipah infection have been detected in the eastern state of West Bengal since December 2025. The ministry did not release details about the patients.
A total of 196 contacts linked to the confirmed cases have been traced and monitored, according to the ministry. All of them had tested negative.
“The situation is under constant monitoring, and all necessary public health measures are in place,” the ministry stated.
Nipah virus can spread between animals and humans. Fruit bats are the natural host of the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but transmission can also occur through other animals such as pigs, contaminated food, and direct human-to-human contact.
About 40 percent to 70 percent of people infected with Nipah die, according to the CDC.
The disease can cause fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. Later in the infection, it can lead to serious respiratory and neurological symptoms. There is no vaccine or specific cure, so treatment is limited to supportive care and managing complications.
Nipah was first identified in 1999 following an outbreak in pigs and humans in Malaysia and Singapore. About 300 people were infected, and more than 100 died. In that first outbreak, bats are believed to have transmitted the virus to pigs, which then infected farmers and others who worked closely with the animals.
Outbreaks have since been reported only in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore. Nipah infections now occur nearly every year in parts of Asia, often in Bangladesh and India, according to the CDC.
There have been no reported cases outside India in the most recent outbreak, but several Asian countries have introduced or intensified airport screening measures.
Burma, also known as Myanmar, which shares a border with both Bangladesh and India, advised against nonessential travel to West Bengal and urged travelers to seek immediate medical care if symptoms develop within 14 days of their return. It also asked residents to immediately report any unusual deaths of animals, such as bats or pigs, in their area.
Thailand has similarly stepped up preventive measures at its major airports, including health declaration forms and temperature checks for arriving passengers. Thai authorities also mandated sanitation inspections on aircraft from areas experiencing Nipah outbreaks, along with dedicated parking spots, screening zones, and baggage handling arrangements for those flights.
In Vietnam, health officials called on local governments to closely supervise incoming travelers at national borders and strengthen infection control in health care facilities. China also stated that it was strengthening disease prevention measures in its border regions.