World Health Organisation (WHO) director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Saturday warned that cases of Nipah virus are rare but also serious. The global health body head also said that cases linked to the Nipah virus outbreak were limited to India and were not reported by any other country.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned about the cases of recent Nipah virus. WHO cited that the virus is rare and serious at the same time.
The global health body head also said that cases linked to the Nipah virus outbreak were limited to India and were not reported by any other country.
“The two cases of Nipah virus infection reported by India in West Bengal are the third in this state since the virus was first identified in 1998,” Ghebreyesus wrote in a post on X.
He also said that authorities in India were following over 190 contacts, and none have developed the disease so far.
“Authorities have increased disease surveillance and testing, implemented prevention and control measures in health care settings, and are keeping the public informed about how to protect themselves,” he further wrote.
Nipah is a rare but serious disease.
The two case of Nipah virus infection reported by India in West Bengal are the third in this state since the virus was first identified in 1998.
No cases have been reported in any other country linked to this outbreak.
Indian authorities… pic.twitter.com/u0VYEerWnv
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) January 31, 2026
The WHO chief’s warning came after the body said that the virus has a low risk of spreading and after the spread there is no requirement of trade restrictions.
Two cases of Nipah virus were earlier confirmed in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, both of them nurses. However, health officials later said that their condition improved and they tested negative for the contagion. While the male nurse was discharged, the female nurse was taken off ventilator support but still kept under observation.
“Both cases developed symptoms typical of severe NiV infection in late December 2025 and were admitted to hospital in early January 2026. As of 21 January 2026, the second case showed clinical improvement, while the first case remained under critical care,” the WHO said in a release.
If a person gets infected by this virus, they are likely to experience swelling of the brain and the chances of death are between 40 to 75 per cent.
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