Nipah virus is not new, has not yet created a major epidemic
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that the disease caused by the Nipah virus is only recorded on a small scale in some countries, and has never created major outbreaks. However, this is a dangerous disease, with the mortality rate in hospitalized cases ranging from 40 - 75%. Currently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment for both humans and animals.
According to the infectious disease surveillance system, in the period from December 27, 2025 to January 26, 2026, India recorded 5 suspected cases of Nipah virus infection, of which 2 cases had confirmed tests, at a hospital in West Bengal state.
In the past, the disease caused by the Nipah virus was only recorded as small, sporadic outbreaks. The virus was first detected in 1999, during a outbreak at pig farms in Malaysia, then spreading to Singapore. Most cases in humans at that time were related to direct contact with sick pigs or products from infected pigs. Since this outbreak, Malaysia has not recorded any new outbreaks.
In 2001, the Nipah virus disease was discovered in Bangladesh and has appeared almost annually since then; and has also been recorded periodically in eastern India. The main source of infection identified is the consumption of fruits or fruit products, such as fresh dates, contaminated with urine or saliva of fruit bats carrying the virus.
No cases recorded in Vietnam, people should not panic
Regarding information about Nipah virus cases appearing in India, the Ministry of Health said that so far Vietnam has not recorded cases of the disease. The health sector is strengthening surveillance, proactively taking measures to prevent and control the epidemic, and at the same time recommending people not to be subjective but also not panicked.
Dr. Truong Huu Khanh - Standing Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Infectious Diseases Association, said: The Nipah virus is not a strange name in the medical community. Nipah is a virus that can cause severe encephalitis. However, from the beginning, it was classified as a group of agents with complex transmission routes, not easy to break out and especially very difficult to appear in Vietnam, so it almost does not cause concern in daily medical practice. Currently, international exchange is fast and wide; information is spreading at a dizzying speed, thanks to which, we can easily access global medical news, but also because of that, it is easier to be warned of disease risks, including very distant risks.
Dr. Khanh said that this time the transmission route of the Nipah virus is nothing new. Nipah does not spread easily from person to person like many other respiratory viruses. The main source of infection is direct contact with bats, especially fruit bats. In some areas of India, the risk also comes from the habit of consuming fresh tree resin - a type of resin that may have been contaminated with saliva from bats carrying the virus. This is a local customary factor, not common in Vietnam. The risk of Nipah breaking out into a major epidemic in our country is very low. Being vigilant is necessary, but panic does not help, and even has a negative impact on social life.
The disease caused by the Nipah virus belongs to the group of particularly dangerous infectious diseases (group A). The virus is mainly transmitted from animals to humans, in which in India, fruit bats are identified as the main source of infection. In addition, the disease can be transmitted through food, infected items and in some cases can be transmitted from person to person through direct contact with the patient's secretions and excretory fluids.
The incubation period is usually from 4 - 14 days. People with the disease may experience initial symptoms such as headache, muscle pain, vomiting, sore throat, then it may progress severely with dizziness, drowsiness, consciousness disorders and neurological signs, indicating acute encephalitis.
The Ministry of Health affirmed that as of January 26, 2026, Vietnam has not recorded any cases of Nipah virus. The Ministry will continue to closely monitor epidemic developments, coordinate with WHO and relevant countries to promptly propose appropriate and effective epidemic prevention and control measures.
