WHO Says Nipah Outbreak Limited to India

Tedros calls virus rare but serious, confirms no international spread

February 1, 2026: World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Saturday said that while Nipah virus cases are rare, the disease remains serious, adding that the current outbreak is confined to India. In a post on X, Tedros said the two Nipah cases reported from West Bengal are the third instance in the state since the virus was first identified in 1998, and confirmed that no cases linked to the outbreak have been reported from any other country.

Tedros said Indian authorities are monitoring more than 190 contacts, none of whom have shown symptoms so far. He noted that disease surveillance and testing have been intensified, prevention and control measures have been strengthened in healthcare settings, and the public is being kept informed on protective steps. The WHO has assessed the risk of further spread as low and said there is no evidence of increased human-to-human transmission, ruling out the need for travel or trade restrictions.

The two confirmed cases were reported from West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district and involved nurses. Health officials later said both patients showed improvement and tested negative for the virus, with one discharged and the other taken off ventilator support. Nipah is a rare but severe disease that can spread from bats to humans, often through close contact or contaminated food. In serious cases, it can cause brain swelling, with fatality rates estimated between 40 and 75 per cent.