Of the three new infections, one is a doctor at the same Barasat hospital, while the others are a nurse and a staff member from the Katwa subdivisional hospital who had contact with an already infected female nurse
Three more individuals, including a doctor, a nurse, and a health staff member, have tested positive for the Nipah virus in West Bengal, bringing the total number of active cases in the state to five.
The initial two patients, a male nurse from Purba Medinipur and a female nurse from Mongolkot in Purba Bardhaman who were employed at a private hospital in Barasat, remain in intensive care.
Of the three new infections, one is a doctor at the same Barasat hospital, while the others are a nurse and a staff member from the Katwa subdivisional hospital who had contact with the infected female nurse. These three patients have been moved to the infectious diseases hospital in Beleghata for treatment.
Since the first two cases were confirmed on Monday, the West Bengal government has placed about 100 people in home quarantine. Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam told The Indian Express, “We are taking all measures possible and following protocols. There is no need to panic.”
Among those in quarantine, roughly 30 are being monitored with extra care. A senior health department doctor explained, “These include family members of the patients, doctors, nurses, drivers, and others who have come into contact with the patients. We have asked them to go into home quarantine for 14 to 21 days. We are keeping a watch on them.”
About the new cases
Health officials are currently gathering details from Nadia, Purba Bardhaman, and North 24 Parganas to identify anyone else who may have been exposed. Blood samples from those who had contact with the first two nurses have been sent to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Kalyani for testing.
According to a relative, the female nurse had been feeling unwell since December 25 but continued working in Barasat until December 30. She returned home on January 2 with a high fever and fainted that night, leading to her being taken to Katwa subdivisional hospital before eventually being transferred back to the private hospital in Barasat.
The health department has identified at least 60 people from Purba Bardhaman, including medical staff and ambulance drivers from the Katwa hospital, who had contact with her. Her travel history shows she attended a family wedding in Nadia on December 15 and 17 and visited several locations, including Santiniketan, before falling ill.
The infected male nurse had worked night shifts with her on December 20 and 21. To manage the situation, a dedicated ward has been set up at the Beliaghata infectious disease hospital. A health official stated, “We are also following various protocols, and all hospitals have been informed to remain vigilant for such cases. If any hospital encounters a patient with Nipah virus symptoms, they should transfer them immediately to the hospital.”
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