Named for the Malaysian village where it was first identified, the Nipah virus is an infectious disease transmitted primarily by bats.
Often fatal, its potential to spread has so far been considered limited by scientists. Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore immediately strengthened their border controls.
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While both outbreaks have occurred since early 2026 along the border between India and Bangladesh, the two recent clusters are not linked, World Health Organisation Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.
No other cases have been identified after tracing more than 230 contacts.
At this stage, the WHO considers the risk of the virus spreading, both regionally and globally, to be “low”.
