Representative image | Photo credit: The Hindu
Two nurses affected by the Nipah virus remain in critical condition in West Bengal. One of them fell into a coma and the other is on ventilator support at a private hospital in Barasat where they worked.
A doctor and a nurse who came in contact with them have been hospitalized after they developed Nipah symptoms, while several others are under investigation.
The samples of the two sisters were initially tested at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Kalyani on Sunday (January 11, 2026). Sources told The Hindu on Wednesday (January 14, 2026) that the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, has reconfirmed their infection.
A doctor and a nurse, who were showing symptoms of Nipah, were admitted to the General Hospital for Infectious Diseases and Beleghat in Kolkata on Wednesday. Their samples are sent for Nipah tests.
The source of the outbreak is not yet known.
Contact tracking on
So far, more than 120 people who came into contact with the two sisters have been advised to self-isolate. These include hospital staff, family members and ambulance drivers. Samples from some contacts were sent for testing. Three nurses’ colleagues are also out of service for the time being. Contact tracing is being actively done in three districts of North 24 Parganas, Bardhaman and Nadia.
“She came home with a cold and a fever. We had no idea what else it could be. She is our family. Of course we lived together as families,” a relative of one of the nurses told the media.
Nipah is a zoonotic disease that causes flu-like symptoms including fever, muscle aches, sore throat and respiratory problems. In cases of a severe attack, it can also cause convulsions and breathing difficulties. The virus can sometimes be transmitted by pigs.
The West Bengal government has launched helpline numbers — 03323330180, 9874708858, 9836046212 — for public queries. The government has advised people not to panic, but to stay alert and practice good hygiene.
Published – 14 Jan 2026 22:45 IST
