Health officials in West Bengal have made significant progress in their investigation into the Nipah virus cases involving two nurses. They have now identified a border village in Nadia district as the probable location where one of the nurses may have contracted the deadly virus.
Focus on Border Village in Nadia District
The state health department has zeroed in on Ghoghragachhi village in the Krishnaganj block. This village sits along the border with Bangladesh. Officials believe the 25-year-old female nurse might have consumed contaminated raw palm date sap during her visit there.
Wedding Attendance and Possible Exposure
The female nurse traveled to Ghoghragachhi on December 14 to attend a family wedding. She spent several days in the village before returning to her home in Katwa. Shortly after, she reported back to work at the hospital in Barasat.
Villagers informed health teams that fresh palm date sap is commonly consumed in the area during winter months. The village borders Kushtia in Bangladesh, where this practice is also widespread. Health officials suspect the nurse and possibly other wedding guests consumed the sap during her stay.
Current Condition of Affected Nurses
Both nurses remain in critical condition at Barasat hospital. They have been on ventilator support for several days. The female nurse has now slipped into a coma due to neurological complications from the virus.
Their samples tested positive for Nipah virus at the National Institute of Virology in Pune. The results came back on Tuesday, confirming the diagnosis.
Contact Tracing and Isolation Measures
A health department team visited Ghoghragachhi on Wednesday to gather more information. They successfully traced thirteen close contacts of the female nurse who also attended the wedding.
All thirteen individuals have been placed under home isolation for the past three days. A district health official confirmed that none have shown any symptoms of Nipah infection so far. Medical teams are monitoring them closely.
Possible Hospital Transmission
Health experts suggest the female nurse might have transmitted the virus to her male colleague at the hospital. Both nurses worked together for several days before she returned home and fell ill. This potential hospital transmission is now under investigation.
Public Awareness Campaign
Health officials are actively educating villagers about the dangers of consuming raw date palm sap. They have advised residents to avoid drinking "khejurer rosh" for the time being. The department maintains constant communication with Swasthya Bhawan regarding the situation.
Historical Context of Nipah in Nadia
This is not the first Nipah outbreak in Nadia district. The area experienced another outbreak in 2007 in Tahatta Betai village. That incident marked the second Nipah outbreak in West Bengal.
All five infected individuals died during that outbreak. Health authorities traced the source to contaminated raw palm date sap at that time as well.
The Danger of Raw Date Palm Sap
Fresh date palm sap might seem like a harmless, refreshing drink. However, it can become deadly when contaminated by fruit bats. These bats carry the Nipah virus and can transmit it to humans through contaminated sap.
In every documented Nipah outbreak in India, fruit bats have been identified as the original source of infection. Health officials emphasize the importance of avoiding raw sap consumption during outbreak periods.
The investigation continues as health teams work to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread of the virus.
