India confirms second fatality from deadly Nipah virus

India has reported its second death this year from the deadly Nipah virus infection, as health authorities continue efforts to contain a localised outbreak in the eastern state of West Bengal.

A 25-year-old nurse died in a hospital in the Kolkata area after battling the virus for nearly a month. She was one of two healthcare workers who tested positive in early January. The second patient, a male nurse, recovered following hospital treatment and has since been discharged, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

According to local health officials, the woman’s condition deteriorated rapidly despite brief signs of improvement. Although her initial test result was negative, she later developed severe lung damage and other complications consistent with Nipah infection. Authorities said she ultimately suffered cardiac arrest.

The outbreak, first identified in January in and around Kolkata, has resulted in five confirmed cases so far. Approximately 100 people who had close contact with infected individuals have been placed under strict medical surveillance and quarantine measures.

Nipah is a zoonotic virus — meaning it can spread from animals to humans — and is considered one of the world’s most dangerous emerging infectious diseases. It has a fatality rate of up to 75 per cent. The incubation period typically ranges from five to 14 days. Early symptoms include high fever and headache, which may persist for up to two weeks. In severe cases, patients can develop encephalitis, seizures, and fall into a coma within 24 to 48 hours.

There is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah. Medical care is limited to supportive and symptomatic treatment.

The recent fatality follows earlier reports from the World Health Organization confirming a Nipah-related death in northern Bangladesh, underscoring regional concerns about the virus in South Asia.

By Sabina Mammadli