Centre steps in as two Nipah cases detected in Bengal

Two healthcare workers at an unnamed hospital in West Bengal are being treated for suspected Nipah virus infection. The patients, who were identified at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Kalyani, traveled to Purba Bardhaman on personal work and contact tracing is underway across North 24 Parganas, Purba Bardhaman, and Nadia districts. The Union Health Ministry has deployed a national joint outbreak response team to support the state government's containment efforts. The West Bengal Chief Secretary urged people not to panic and to follow hygiene precautions.