KP Issues Province-Wide Alert Over Possible Nipah Virus Threat
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department has issued a province-wide alert to all public and private healthcare facilities following reports of Nipah virus cases in neighbouring India, health officials confirmed on Friday. While authorities stressed that no case of the virus has been detected in Pakistan so far, precautionary and preparedness measures have been made mandatory across the province due to the virus’s high fatality rate and potential for cross-border transmission.
According to an official advisory circulated to district health officers, medical superintendents and medical directors of Medical Teaching Institutions (MTIs), the situation has been declared a possible public health emergency. The advisory calls for immediate readiness at all levels of the healthcare system to deal with any suspected case of the virus.
As part of the response framework, the director of public health has been appointed as the provincial focal person for Nipah virus coordination and response. Health authorities have directed hospitals to establish dedicated isolation units, form district-level rapid response teams and strengthen border health services to ensure early detection and containment.
The advisory also emphasizes enhancing testing and diagnostic capacity at designated reference laboratories so that suspected cases can be confirmed without delay. Medical staff have been instructed to remain vigilant, particularly in patients presenting with symptoms such as fever, respiratory distress and neurological complications.
Health officials explained that the Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans, and can also spread through human-to-human contact. Fruit bats are considered the natural reservoir of the virus, while transmission to humans has previously occurred through contaminated food or close contact with infected individuals.
Authorities noted that confirmed cases have recently been reported in India’s West Bengal region, including infections among healthcare workers, raising concerns about regional spread. The reported fatality rate of the Nipah virus ranges between 40 and 70 per cent, making it one of the most dangerous viral infections in the region.
The K-P health department reiterated that there is currently no confirmed Nipah virus case in Pakistan, but urged hospitals, medical professionals and surveillance teams to strictly follow the issued guidelines. Officials said early preparedness and coordinated action would be critical to preventing any potential outbreak and ensuring public safety.
