In early January, two confirmed cases of infection were recorded in the Indian state of West Bengal. According to the WHO, both cases involve healthcare workers from a private clinic. Indian authorities conducted contact tracing and identified nearly 200 people, but no new cases of the disease have been registered. Experts noted that there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus.
The WHO has designated the "regional and global risk of infection spread" as low.
The organization also emphasized that, based on the available data, restrictions on international travel or trade are not justified.
The Nipah virus is a rare but dangerous infection that is transmitted from animals to humans and, in some cases, between humans through close contact. There are no vaccines or specific treatments for it, and the mortality rate varies from 40% to 75% in different outbreaks, according to WHO data.
Previously, Nipah was included in the list of pathogens capable of causing serious international outbreaks.
In response to reports from India, health control measures at the borders have been strengthened in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
