A 25-year-old nurse who had been battling the Nipah virus in West Bengal passed away on Thursday, marking the state’s first recorded fatality from the virus in recent history. The nurse, a resident of Katwa in Purba Bardhaman district, died of cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Barasat, North 24 Parganas. While medical officials noted that she had technically recovered from the initial Nipah infection and was taken off ventilator support in late January, her condition remained critical due to a prolonged coma and severe secondary complications.
According to state health officials, the patient suffered from a weakened immune system, leading to a hospital-acquired lung infection and eventual multi-organ damage. She was one of two healthcare workers who tested positive for the virus in early January after returning from New Year holidays. Her colleague, a male nurse, has since recovered and been discharged.
In response to the cases, the Union Health Ministry and state authorities intensified surveillance and containment measures, testing nearly 200 contacts, all of whom fortunately returned negative results. Health alerts were also issued at regional airports to screen travelers. This tragic loss highlights the ongoing risks faced by frontline healthcare workers during zoonotic outbreaks and the severe long-term physiological impact the Nipah virus can have on the human body even after the primary infection subsides.
