2 Nipah virus cases reported in India: WHO

GENEVA, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that two laboratory-confirmed cases of Nipah virus (NiV) infection have been reported in India.

In its latest Disease Outbreak News, the WHO said that the National IHR Focal Point for India on Monday notified it of the two cases detected in West Bengal State.

The infection was confirmed at the National Institute of Virology in Pune on Jan. 13, the WHO said, noting that both cases involve healthcare workers at a private hospital.

Indian authorities have identified and tested over 190 contacts, all of whom tested negative, and no further cases have been detected to date, according to the WHO.

This event represents the third NiV outbreak reported in West Bengal following previous outbreaks in 2001 and 2007. Enhanced surveillance and infection prevention and control measures are in place as investigations into the source of exposure continue.

NiV infection is a serious but rare zoonotic disease transmitted between animals and humans and, in some instances, through human-to-human contact.

The WHO assesses the risk posed by Nipah to be moderate at the sub-national level, and low at the national, regional and global levels.