Nipah in West Bengal: Tamil Nadu govt. asks health officers to strengthen AES surveillance

In the wake of a high alert issued by the Government of India, following the confirmation of two Nipah virus cases in Nadia district, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu’s Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine has directed all District Health Officers (DHO), City Health Officers, and Municipal Health Officers to strengthen surveillance for Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), especially in persons with fever and altered sensorium. Persons admitted with AES, particularly those with travel or contact history linked to West Bengal, should be closely monitored and evaluated for possible Nipah virus infection.

Health Minister Ma. Subramanian said on Monday (January 19, 2026) that guidelines, as well as precautionary measures, have been issued by the DPH. All DHOs have been asked to take up surveillance measures, while block medical officers at the primary healthcare level and heads of all government hospitals have been advised to stay alert.

Director of Public Health A. Somasundaram asked the officers to ensure preparedness and awareness at the field level. It is important to sensitise healthcare workers and the public on preventive and control measures, and to strengthen surveillance, case management, and infection prevention practices in all health facilities, he said.

Government and private hospitals must be alerted about the Nipah virus situation and directed to promptly notify all AES cases to the respective District Surveillance Units through the portal of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme-Integrated Health Information Platform.

The DPH guidelines outlined the mode of transmission, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment, along with preventive measures in high risk areas and advisory for healthcare personnel.

Nipah virus may spread to human beings through close contact with other Nipah-infected persons, infected bats, or infected pigs. Bat secretions laden with the virus can infect people while climbing fruit trees, eating/handling contaminated fallen fruits, or consuming raw date palm sap/juice or toddy. Human-to-human infection can occur from close contact with persons affected with Nipah at home while providing care or close contact and in hospital settings if appropriate personal protective equipment is not used.

Fever, altered mental status, severe weakness, headache, respiratory distress, cough, vomiting, muscle pain, convulsion, and diarrhoea are the clinical features. In infected persons, Nipah virus causes severe illness characterised by inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or respiratory diseases. The case-fatality rate is estimated at 40-75%. However, this rate can vary by outbreak and can be up to 100%, the directorate said.

Persons exposed to areas inhabited by fruit bats or places contaminated by secretions, such as unused wells, caves, and fruit orchards, are likely to be at higher risk of infection. This also includes persons with direct contact with sick pigs or their contaminated tissues. Listing the measures for prevention in high-risk areas, the directorate said consuming raw date palm sap or toddy and half-eaten fruits from the ground, and entering abandoned wells should be avoided.

Healthcare personnel were advised to admit persons suspected with symptoms of Nipah to the isolation ward in the hospital and to segregate them from patients in the isolation ward.