What Is Nipah Virus? Symptoms, Precautions Explained

2026-01-30 02:29:14

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

There are no approved drugs or vaccines for the Nipah virus infection; a range of candidate products is under different stages of development, according to WHO

PUBLISHED: Fri 30 Jan 2026, 1:41 PM UPDATED: Fri 30 Jan 2026, 8:37 PM

By:
Nithin Belle

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday assured the risk of the deadly Nipah virus spreading from India is low. The organisation also said it does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions after the South Asian nation reported two cases of the virus infection.

Let's understand Nipah virus and its origin.

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Nipah is a zoonotic virus (zoonotic diseases are infectious ones caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi) and like others of its kind, spread between animals and humans. It can also be transmitted through contaminated food or between humans.

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It was in 1998 that the deadly virus was identified during an outbreak in Malaysia among pig farmers. A year later, it was reported in Singapore, which had imported some pigs from Malaysia.

And about two years later, there were outbreaks of the Nipah virus infection in India and Bangladesh. More than a decade later in 2014, there was an outbreak in the Philippines as well, but the Southeast Asian countries have not seen any new outbreaks in recent years. However, the outbreaks have been frequent in Bangladesh and India – almost annually since 2001 in Bangladesh and regularly in India, especially in the southern state of Kerala and in West Bengal.

Fruit bats from the Pteropodidae family are seen as the natural host of the virus, but the bats do not acquire the disease. They, however, contaminate fruits, which when consumed by other animals including pigs, dogs, horses, sheep and goats spread across rapidly.

What are the symptoms?

The disease emerges among humans with the sudden onset of non-specific, flu-like illnesses including pneumonia and respiratory issues. The victims develop a fever, suffer from headaches or confusion, have difficulty in breathing or cough a lot. The disease impacts the brain, lungs and other organs as well. Symptoms include chills, fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness, vomiting and diarrhoea.

The most serious complication is encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis, which develops three to 21 days after the initial illness. This is associated with a very high mortality rate. Estimates are that between 40 and 75 per cent of people infected with the virus will die, according to UK Health Security Agency.

Those who survive are likely to suffer from lasting neurological problems such as persistent seizures and personality changes. And in rare cases, the virus can reactivate months or even years after the initial infection.

Standard precautions

The Nipah can also spread between people with close contact including family members and caregivers. It is difficult to initially spot Nipah and differentiate it from other infectious diseases without laboratory testing. But early diagnosis of Nipah ensures supportive care, which can prevent deaths.

But unfortunately, there are no approved drugs or vaccines for the Nipah virus infection. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified Nipah virus infection as a priority disease for its Research and Development Blueprint. A range of candidate products is under different stages of development.

The WHO has urged healthcare workers to implement standard precautions for infection prevention and control at all times for all patients. Suspected or confirmed cases of Nipah virus infection should be placed in a single-patient room. It also advises the use of contact and droplet precautions, including a well-fitting medical mask, eye protection, a fluid-resistant gown, and examination gloves.

Airborne precautions should be implemented during aerosol-generating procedures, including placing the patient in an airborne-infection isolation room and using a fit-tested filtering facepiece respirator instead of a medical mask. Family members and caregivers visiting patients with suspected or confirmed Nipah virus, should also adopt similar precautions.

Importantly, gloves and other protective clothing should be worn while handling sick animals such as pigs or horses, and during slaughtering and culling procedures.