Two nurses with Nipah virus critical in Kolkata hospital

Two nurses who tested positive for the Nipah virus have been admitted to Beliaghata Infectious Diseases Hospital in Kolkata and remain in an extremely critical condition, a senior official from the West Bengal health department said on Wednesday.

One of the nurses was brought to the hospital late on Tuesday night, while the other, a house staff member, was shifted early on Wednesday from Burdwan Medical College and Hospital. Both are currently in a coma and are being treated in the intensive critical care unit (ICCU), the official said.

Health authorities are also closely monitoring a resident medical officer (RMO) at Barasat hospital who had come into contact with the infected nurses and subsequently developed symptoms suggestive of Nipah infection. The RMO has been placed under isolation as a precautionary measure.

However, tests conducted at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) at AIIMS Kalyani, including nasal swab, blood, urine and throat swab samples, have returned negative results, the official added.

According to state health department sources, one of the nurses had recently returned from her hometown in Katwa, located in Purba Bardhaman district. She reportedly fell ill there and was initially admitted to a local hospital on December 31. As her condition deteriorated, she was transferred to Bardhaman Medical College, then moved by a special ambulance to Barasat hospital, before being shifted to Beliaghata ID Hospital.

The second nurse is said to have travelled recently to Ghugragachi in Nadia district, close to the India–Bangladesh border, raising concerns about potential exposure routes.

Officials said contact tracing and surveillance have been intensified as a precaution. Nipah virus is classified as a notifiable disease, requiring immediate reporting to the central government, and health authorities said all necessary protocols are being followed to prevent further spread.

With PTI inputs