UK health authorities have issued a warning about the Nipah virus following an outbreak in India, where two cases have been confirmed in West Bengal. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the risk to most people remains very low, but urged travellers to affected areas to be aware of the virus.
Nipah virus can be transmitted from animals to humans, through contaminated food, or directly from person to person. According to the UKHSA, an estimated 40 to 75 per cent of those infected die. There is no proven specific treatment for the infection.
Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia, said the virus is unlikely to pose a significant risk of global spread due to low person-to-person transmission. However, he cautioned that the long incubation period—between four and 21 days—makes detection at borders difficult.
Several Asian countries have tightened health screenings and airport surveillance for arrivals from India. The UKHSA noted that no cases of Nipah have ever been found in the UK. The virus was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore.
Symptoms include sudden onset of flu-like illness, fever, pneumonia, and respiratory issues. The most serious complication is encephalitis or meningitis, typically developing three to 21 days after infection. Survivors may be left with persistent seizures and personality changes.
