A new health alert puts global health authorities in suspense. The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the alarm after confirming five new cases of the dreaded Nipah virus in the state of West Bengal, in India.

This pathogen, classified as a priority disease due to its epidemic potential, is extremely serious because there are no vaccines to prevent it or specific antiviral treatments to combat it once it is contracted.

Nipah is a zoonotic virus, meaning it is transmitted from animals to humans, primarily through fruit bats and pigs. However, the greatest concern of experts lies in its very high mortality rate, which is estimated between 40% and 75%.

Initial symptoms can be confused with the common flu, including fever, headache, vomiting and sore throat, but can quickly evolve into acute respiratory symptoms or fatal encephalitis in an incubation period ranging from 4 to 14 days.

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Despite the fear generated by its lethality, the WHO has classified the risk of immediate massive expansion as “low”, highlighting India’s ability to contain previous outbreaks.

“There is no evidence of an uncontrolled increase in human-to-human transmission so far,” said agency spokespersons, who recommend the systematic disinfection of farms and avoiding the consumption of foods that may be contaminated with bat fluids, such as fruits or palm tree sap.

Epidemiological surveillance has been intensified, while technical teams provide support in affected areas to carry out risk assessments.

Although the outbreak is located in Asia, global interconnection forces health authorities around the world to monitor the evolution of the Nipah virus, whose lethality makes it one of the most dangerous pathogens under scientific surveillance at the beginning of 2026.

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