Unveiling the Hidden Dangers: A Deep Dive into the Nipah Virus Infection
The recent outbreak of Nipah virus (NiV) infection in West Bengal, India, has sparked a renewed interest in understanding this deadly disease. With two confirmed cases reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 26, 2026, the WHO South-East Asia Region and the global health community are taking a closer look at the epidemiology, clinical management, and public health response to this emerging threat.
In response to this growing concern, the Community of Practice on Public Health Intelligence in the WHO South-East Asia Region, in collaboration with the Health Emergencies Programme at the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO), hosted a webinar on February 4, 2026, to bring together scientific experts and share their insights on the Nipah virus infection.
The webinar was opened by Dr. Masaya Kato, Programme Area Manager for Health Information Management, and Dr. Pushpa Ranjan Wijesinghe, Programme Area Manager for Pandemic and Epidemic Management, on behalf of WHO SEARO. Dr. Kato introduced the Community of Practice as a platform for continuous learning and collaboration on public health intelligence, including epidemic intelligence from open sources (EIOS).
The event brought together experts from India, including Dr. Dipankar Maji, Director of Hospital Administration, Government of West Bengal, who outlined the epidemiological situation and public health response following the detection of two RT-PCR-confirmed NiV infection cases among nurses. Dr. Yogiraj Ray, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at IPGME&R, Kolkata, then described the clinical course of the cases, including symptom progression, laboratory and imaging findings, and clinical management.
Drawing on experience from previous outbreaks, Prof. Anish TS from the Kerala One Health Centre for Nipah Research and Resilience shared key lessons from Kerala, with a focus on One Health approaches, spillover risks linked to bat habitat disruption, and observed seasonal patterns of the disease. Dr. Pragya D. Yadav, Scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research, provided scientific insights into transmission dynamics, animal surveillance, diagnostics, and viral sequencing.
Dr. Pushpa Ranjan Wijesinghe then highlighted WHO's strategic approach to the prevention and control of Nipah virus infection in the South-East Asia Region, explaining why Nipah virus is considered a priority pathogen for WHO, how the 2019 expert consultation informed the development of the WHO's Regional Strategy for the prevention and control of Nipah virus infection, and outlining its key components as well as the regional challenges for Nipah virus prevention and control.
Following the presentation by Dr. Masaya Kato on WHO's rapid risk assessment and public health advice, the webinar concluded with a short question-and-answer session with the presenters. But here's where it gets controversial... Are we doing enough to prepare for the next outbreak? And this is the part most people miss... The Nipah virus is not just a regional concern, it's a global threat. So, what can we do to better prepare and respond to this deadly disease?
