31 Jan 2026

The Nipah virus, currently spreading person-to-person in parts of Asia, poses a potential pandemic risk due to its high case fatality rate and possibility of weaponisation or mutation. While person-to-person transmission is possible, it is not rapidly transmitted like SARS-CoV-2. The virus is zoonotic, originating from fruit bats, and can be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from humans to humans.

The Nipah virus, transmitted by fruit bats, causes severe illness with a high fatality rate. While outbreaks are geographically isolated to South and Southeast Asia, the virus’s potential for human-to-human transmission raises concerns. Preventative measures include avoiding contact with bats and their secretions, consuming only thoroughly cleaned or boiled fruits, and practising good hand hygiene.