Nipah virus outbreak in India: What you need to know about the disease

January 29, 2026

SINGAPORE – In recent days, the authorities in countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam have been on high alert after an outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus in the Indian state of West Bengal.

So far, no cases have been reported outside India, but the health authorities across Asia are stepping up precautions.

Nipah is a zoonotic virus, which means it can spread from animals to humans. It can also spread directly between humans or through contaminated food.

Symptoms of the virus range from mild to asymptomatic infections, to acute respiratory illness and fatal brain inflammation.

Fruit bats are natural hosts of the virus.

There have also been reports of the virus infecting other animals, such as pigs, cats, goats, horses and sheep.

Infectious diseases expert Leong Hoe Nam said the disease can spread from animals to humans through direct contact with an infected host animal and its fluids.

It can also be transmitted through close contact with an infected person or the person’s body fluids, he said.

Nipah was first identified between 1998 and 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore, which resulted in nearly 300 cases and more than 100 deaths.

The Nipah virus is not very contagious, said Professor Paul Tambyah, former president of the Asia-Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection.

He added that direct human transmission is rare and no instances of the virus spreading through casual contact have been documented.

Prof Tambyah said: “The official Indian Health Ministry statement about this current outbreak states that there are only two confirmed cases, despite their screening more than a hundred contacts of the index case.

“In the 1999 outbreak in Singapore and Malaysia, there was no significant human-to-human transmission. The West Bengal situation is a bit different, probably due to a combination of differences between the virus, as well as the resources available in the different settings.”

For now, there is no approved vaccine or cure for the virus.

Treatment is mainly limited to supportive care.

Supportive treatment, Prof Tambyah said, includes careful neurological observation so that complications such as seizures or coma can be monitored and treated to prevent premature death.

“There have been studies on antivirals, but they are hard to do as the virus has to be handled in high-containment laboratories for fear of a leak from a laboratory into the community,” he added.

Patients in Singapore during the 1999 outbreak “did very well as they were diagnosed early, monitored, and complications were avoided”, said Prof Tambyah.

“The key is good surveillance,” Prof Tambyah said.

This means making sure that every case of severe encephalitis – or inflammation of the brain tissue – is thoroughly checked and that there is a diagnosis for each patient, he added.

So far, there have been no reports of the virus spreading outside rural areas in West Bengal.

The two most recent cases in India are believed to be healthcare workers.

“Attention to infection control precautions, especially in intensive care units or in dealing with patients with severe unknown brain or chest infections, is important,” said Prof Tambyah.

The Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) on Jan 28 advised those travelling to affected areas to maintain vigilance and adopt precautions such as avoiding direct contact with animals, especially bats and pigs, and bat roosting areas.

CDA also urged people to avoid food and drinks that could be potentially contaminated by bats, such as raw date palm sap, and fruit found on the ground.

Those travelling to affected areas were also advised to consume only fully cooked food and fruits that can be washed and peeled.

Seek medical attention early if there are signs of brain infection or severe respiratory infection, experts said.

Some symptoms cannot be ignored and for which patients should seek medical help immediately.

“These would include severe headache, including ‘the worst headache of your life’, confusion and difficulty in breathing,” Prof Tambyah said.