Nurse who recovered from Nipah infection dies of cardiac arrest in West Bengal hospital

A 25-year-old nurse who had earlier recovered from Nipah virus infection died of cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Barasat, North 24 Parganas district, on Thursday, a West Bengal health department official said.

The nurse, who had been taken off ventilator support at the end of January after testing negative for the virus, suffered from multiple complications following a prolonged period of hospitalisation, the official said.

“She died of cardiac arrest this afternoon. Though she had recovered from Nipah infection, she was suffering from multiple complications,” the official told PTI.

She was among two health workers in the state who had tested positive for Nipah earlier this year. The second patient, a male nurse, has since recovered and returned home, officials said.

A resident of Katwa in Purba Bardhaman district, the nurse had remained in a coma for an extended period, which significantly weakened her immunity.

During treatment, she developed a lung infection and also contracted a hospital-acquired infection, the official said.

According to hospital authorities, she had recently shown signs of improvement and was attempting to regain consciousness, move her limbs and speak before her condition suddenly deteriorated. She died at around 4:20 pm, the official added.

The nurse had first fallen ill in early January after returning home on 31 December for New Year holidays. She was initially admitted to Burdwan Medical College and Hospital and later shifted to the Barasat-based private facility for advanced treatment.

Health department officials said protocols related to infection control and monitoring of contacts had been followed during her treatment, and there was no fresh Nipah case linked to her death.