Nipah Scare in West Bengal: Two Suspected Cases Trigger High Alert

• Two suspected Nipah virus cases detected at AIIMS Kalyani, West Bengal, involving two nurses from a private hospital in North 24 Parganas.
• Both nurses are in critical condition, admitted to Barasat hospital with ventilator support, and samples indicate possible Nipah infection.
• Union Health Secretary reviewed the situation with West Bengal officials; a national joint outbreak response team deployed to support the state.
• Centre activated Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) at NCDC, Delhi, and Union Health Minister J P Nadda assured full support to CM Mamata Banerjee.
• Extensive measures including contact tracing, enhanced surveillance, and expert guidance are being mobilized to contain the potential outbreak.

Why It Matters: West Bengal on high alert after two suspected Nipah cases, prompting swift central and state response.