Source: Tufts Now
Following a recent Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal, India, Tufts University experts say swift containment efforts have likely prevented wider spread. Nipah, carried by fruit bats, can spill over to humans through contaminated food—often raw date-palm sap—or close contact, and can then spread person to person. The virus causes severe encephalitis and has a fatality rate of up to 70%, with no approved vaccines or treatments.
In the latest outbreak, two cases were confirmed and 196 contacts were traced and tested, with no additional infections detected. While the World Health Organization considers the risk of broader spread low, experts warn that habitat disruption, deforestation, and increased livestock-wildlife contact heighten spillover risk. Key unknowns include why outbreaks occur sporadically and what drives superspreading events. Prevention strategies emphasize surveillance, rapid testing, health worker protection, regional coordination, and nature-based solutions that reduce risky contact between bats, livestock, and people.
Read the full story HERE: https://now.tufts.edu/2026/02/04/stopping-nipah-it-spreads