Indian health authorities are racing to contain a Nipah virus outbreak after five confirmed cases in the eastern state of West Bengal, including nurses and other health workers treated near Kolkata, with nearly 100 people having been quarantined.
Nipah is a deadly zoonotic virus with no vaccine or specific treatment, and officials are focusing on isolation and monitoring to prevent further spread. The situation remains under close watch.
The Nipah virus was first identified in 1999 in Malaysia and has led to outbreaks in Bangladesh, India, and Singapore. Nipah, which comes from fruit bats and other animals such as pigs, can cause a lethal, brain-swelling fever in humans.
To learn more about the Nipah virus, click on the following gallery.