Bengal nurse who contracted Nipah virus, dies after a month

A nurse infected with the Nipah virus died on Thursday afternoon at a private hospital in Barasat, North 24-Parganas, after battling critical illness and multiple complications for several weeks. The death has raised concerns among healthcare workers, as she had been under intensive medical care since falling seriously ill.

According to reports, the nurse developed symptoms days after one of her male colleagues at the same hospital fell ill with similar signs of infection. Both patients eventually slipped into a coma and were placed on ventilator support. The woman remained on prolonged ventilation due to the severity of her condition. Towards the end of January, doctors had taken her off ventilator support after she showed signs of improvement. However, her condition deteriorated again as she developed breathing difficulties. Medical examinations revealed a secondary lung infection, attributed to her extended stay in critical care, forcing doctors to put her back on ventilation on Wednesday.

Hospital officials said that after remaining in a coma for a long period, her immunity weakened significantly, aggravating her lung infection and overall condition. Despite intensive treatment, she succumbed on Thursday afternoon. Earlier updates had stated that she was on ventilation through tracheostomy, with stable oxygen needs, maintained blood pressure with reduced vasopressor support, and no seizure activity, though her neurological status remained unchanged.