Nepal Alerts Citizens to Nipah Virus Risk Following Cases in India

PTI | Kathmandu | Feb 2, 2026 : Nepal's Health Ministry on Monday urged citizens to remain alert to the possible spread of the Nipah virus after India reported two cases of the infection.

In a statement, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) of the ministry said that health facilities and agencies across the Himalayan nation have been cautioned as part of preparedness.

It added that a Nipah virus tracking algorithm has been prepared in view of the outbreak of the virus in India.

In New Delhi, the Union Health Ministry said last week that only two confirmed cases of Nipah virus disease have been reported from December last year to date.

The health condition of the two nurses infected with the virus in West Bengal's Kolkata has improved, and both have tested negative for the contagion, according to officials.

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has assessed a low public health risk of the Nipah virus at the global and South-East Asia regional levels, Nepal's Health Ministry urged people to follow precautionary measures.

Head of the Health Emergency and Disaster Management Unit, Dr Prakash Budhathoki, said the ministry is fully committed to protecting citizens’ health and is taking all necessary measures to that end.

Budhathoki, who is also the ministry spokesperson, requested people not to panic but to remain alert, cautious, and responsible.

“Everyone should wash fruits thoroughly before eating, cook vegetables properly, and only drink pure and boiled water," the ministry said.

"Health measures such as keeping animal sheds and farms clean, wearing gloves and masks while handling meat, washing hands periodically with soap and water, and wearing masks in crowded places must be followed,” it added.

Budhathoki urged people to immediately contact the nearest health facility or dial 1115 in case of any suspicious symptoms.

According to doctors, consumption of fruit contaminated with the saliva, urine, or faeces of bats infected with the Nipah virus can cause the infection.

The virus can also be transmitted to humans through the blood, saliva, urine, close contact with an infected person, or from pigs that have been exposed to bats, Budhathoki said.

The Health Ministry also urged people to ensure strict adherence to patient identification, isolation, reporting, and infection prevention and control measures if suspicious symptoms—including fever, headache, muscle pain, cough, breathing issues, dizziness, vomiting, or in severe cases, loss of consciousness—appear.