Deadly Nipah Virus Sparks Border Alert

Health officials in Nepal have significantly increased surveillance and health checks at border points, particularly in Koshi Province and other crossings, in response to a Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal, India. This rare, zoonotic disease, transmitted from animals like bats and pigs to humans, carries a high fatality rate, estimated between 40% and 75% or higher.

As of February 3, 2026, there is neither a vaccine nor a known treatment for Nipah virus. Medical professionals can only provide intensive supportive care. The World Health Organization has designated it a priority pathogen due to the credible possibility of an epidemic. Outbreaks are cyclical in South and Southeast Asia, with raw date palm sap a common source of infection in Bangladesh.

Officials are diligently tracing contacts; 196 individuals identified as potentially having close contact with the two confirmed cases in India have tested negative and remain asymptomatic. Beyond direct health impacts, Nipah virus outbreaks can cause significant economic losses by sickening livestock, affecting farmers. Trials for a potential vaccine were expected to begin in Bangladesh, acknowledging that the virus's rarity does not guarantee its continued containment, especially with climate change potentially expanding vector ranges.