Was Barasat woman who died in Dec state’s 1st Nipah case?
Times of India | 16 January 2026
Kolkata: The visit by a health team to a house in Barasat's Kazipara raised questions about whether a woman from that locality, who died in Barasat Hospital towards the end of Dec, was the index case of Nipah infection. On Thursday, a team from the central health ministry and the state health department visited the Barasat locality to trace the origin of the virus.
Locals said that a 56-year-old woman from Kazipara was admitted to Barasat Hospital on Dec 19, where the two Nipah-infected nurses worked. She had symptoms consistent with Nipah infection, including fever, cold, cough, vomiting, and loss of consciousness. She died three days later, on Dec 22, before samples could be collected for testing.
The woman's family members said the health team spoke extensively to gather details about her illness and possible exposure. They said that the deceased consumed fresh date palm sap before falling ill. Officials documented her symptoms, confirmed her consumption of date palm sap, and sought details about the sap seller.
The visit by central and state health officials to the woman's home triggered panic in the Kazipara area. Locals, however, said that no one in the locality had any symptoms of the infection.
Riyazul Rahman Molla, a neighbour of the deceased woman, said: "Officials from the health department came and asked the family about the illness she suffered from. The family replied that she had a fever. They also said that the family members consumed date palm sap. The health department officials then asked for the address of the person who sold the date palm sap."
Health experts said date palm sap is a potential medium of the Nipah infection if it is contaminated by bat fruits. In fact, in India, all Nipah outbreaks have links with fruit bats.
Family members said that the deceased was admitted to the hospital's HDU, and her condition deteriorated fast despite treatment.
Sources indicated the possibility of the nurse duo being involved in the treatment of the 56-year-old.
Barasat Municipality ward 1 councillor Mariyam Kazi said the hospital mentioned pneumonia as the cause of death in the woman's death certificate, while the family reported fever and vomiting. "Beyond this, I cannot say anything," she said.
Meanwhile, Abhijit Saha, MSVP of Barasat Medical College and Hospital, confirmed the improvement in the nurses' condition. "This is a positive sign. The joint team visited the deceased woman's home to trace the source of the Nipah virus," he said.
Earlier, a health team visited Krishnaganj in Nadia to trace the origin of the Nipah infection. The female nurse stayed in the village in Krishnaganj for a couple of days, where she attended a wedding on Dec 14. Once back from the wedding, she returned to work in Barasat Hospital. "Our state expert team, along with the central team, is working to trace the origin of the infection. It is still under investigation," said a state health official.