Kolkata: Two nurses who tested positive for the deadly Nipah virus have been admitted to the Beliaghata Infectious Diseases (ID) Hospital in Kolkata, with their condition described as extremely critical, a senior official of the West Bengal health department said on Wednesday.
According to officials, both healthcare workers had tested positive for the virus on Monday. One nurse was admitted to the Beliaghata ID Hospital late Tuesday night, while the other, who is a house staff member, was shifted from Burdwan Medical College and Hospital early on Wednesday.
“The health condition of both patients remains extremely critical. They are currently in a coma and are being treated in the Intensive Critical Care Unit (ICCU),” the health department official told PTI.
Meanwhile, a resident medical officer (RMO) at Barasat hospital, who had come in contact with the infected nurses, reportedly developed symptoms similar to Nipah infection. As a precautionary measure, the RMO has been placed under isolation.
However, the official clarified that medical tests conducted at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) at AIIMS Kalyani, including nasal swab, blood, urine and throat swab samples, returned negative results.
Health department sources revealed that one of the infected nurses had recently returned from her hometown in Katwa, located in Purba Bardhaman district. She reportedly fell ill on December 31 and was first admitted to a local hospital. As her condition deteriorated, she was referred to Bardhaman Medical College and later shifted via a special ambulance to Barasat hospital, before being transferred to the Beliaghata ID Hospital for specialized care.
The other nurse, sources said, had a travel history to Ghugragachi village in Nadia district, which lies close to the India-Bangladesh border, raising concerns among health authorities.
Officials reiterated that Nipah virus is a notifiable disease, and any confirmed case must be immediately reported to the central government. The state health department is closely monitoring the situ.ation and has intensified surveillance and contact tracing to prevent further spread of the infection.
