28/01/2026
The World Health Organization has raised the alarm following a reported Nipah virus outbreak in Indiaโs West Bengal state, prompting heightened concern across parts of Asia.
๐ง๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ in West Bengal since December 2025, reportedly involving healthcare workers. Indian health authorities say nearly 200 close contacts have been traced and tested negative, as regional vigilance remains high.
In response, countries around the world have tightened screening measures at airports and border entry points, including Thailand and Nepal.
Nipah virus infection can range from ๐ฎ๐๐๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ and fatal encephalitis, with a case fatality rate of 40% to 75% depending on outbreak response and clinical capacity.
Transmitted from animals, contaminated food, or human-to-human contact, the virus is naturally hosted by fruit bats, and with ๐ป๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐, the World Health Organization has classified it as a priority disease for urgent research.
In a January 28th statement, Department of Health spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said the Nipah virus was previously detected in Sultan Kudarat in 2014, where 17 cases were recorded.
Domingo emphasized that the DOH remains prepared to address Nipah virus and other emerging diseases, noting that such health threats are not new to the department.
๐ฃ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ.
Sources:
Ng, Kelly. Nipah Virus: Some Asia Airports Screen Passengers After Outbreak in India. 27 Jan. 2026, www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd7zp581q5do
World Health Organization: WHO. Nipah Virus. 30 May 2018, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/nipah-virus.
Casucian, Jiselle Anne C. โPH Prepared for Nipah Virus, Says DOH.โ GMA News Online, 28 Jan. 2026, www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/974430/ph-prepared-for-nipah-virus-says-doh/story.
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