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KOLKATA – A high-alert status has been declared across West Bengal as the Central Government rushed a National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT)to the state on Tuesday. The emergency mobilization follows reports of two healthcare workers in Barasat—a male and a female nurse—contracting suspected Nipah virus (NiV) infections, with both currently battling for their lives on ventilator support.
The suspected cases, identified late Sunday at the AIIMS-Kalyani laboratory, have triggered memories of the state’s last major encounter with the virus in 2007.
Frontline Crisis in Barasat
The two affected individuals are staff members at a private hospital in Barasat, North 24 Parganas. Their condition is described as “precarious,” with the female nurse reportedly in critical state.
Investigations into their recent movements suggest a possible local origin for the infection:
- Travel History: One nurse recently returned from Katwa (Purba Bardhaman), while the other had visited Ghugragachi (Nadia), a village near the India-Bangladesh border.
- Symptom Timeline: The female nurse first fell ill in late December and was moved through multiple facilities—including Bardhaman Medical College—before returning to Barasat, raising fears of secondary exposure along the transit route.
The National Response
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda has personally reached out to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, pledging “comprehensive technical and logistical support.” The newly deployed NJORT is a powerhouse of expertise, comprising specialists from:
- National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune(handling reconfirmation of samples)
- National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai
- Department of Wildlife (to investigate local fruit bat populations)
- National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)
The Public Health Emergency Operations Centre in Delhi has been activated to coordinate what officials call a “high-priority” containment effort.
Containment and Public Advisory
The West Bengal government has implemented a “ring-fencing” strategy to prevent a wider outbreak. Key measures include:
- Contact Tracing: Extensive “line listing” of every person who came into contact with the nurses in Barasat, Nadia, and Purba Bardhaman.
- Isolation Units: Dedicated wards have been readied at the Infectious Diseases and Beleghata General Hospital (IDBGH) in Kolkata.
- Helpline Numbers:The state has launched three emergency helplines for the public:
- 033-2333-0180
- 98747-08858
- 98360-46212
Public Health Warning: Health officials are strongly advising citizens to avoid consuming raw date palm sap(Khejur Ras)—a popular winter delicacy in Bengal—as it is a primary vector for Nipah through fruit bat contamination. Only processed or boiled jaggery is considered safe.
Understanding the Threat
Nipah is a zoonotic virus with a staggering fatality rate of 40% to 75%. Since there is currently no vaccine or specific cure, treatment is limited to intensive supportive care.
Incubation Period- 4 to 14 days (can extend to 45 days)
Early Symptoms- Fever, headache, cough, sore throat
Severe Symptoms- Encephalitis (brain swelling), seizures, coma
Transmission – Bat-to-human, contaminated food, or human-to-human
