Ranchi Hospital Prepares Nipah Virus Isolation Ward Amidst West Bengal Scare

Ranchi: The management of Ranchi sadar hospital on Wednesday created an isolation ward made of six reserved beds to treat patients with symptoms of Nipah virus.

The move came a day the samples from two nurses of a govt hospital in West Bengal tested positive for Nipah virus in the National Institute of Virology in Pune.


Ranchi civil surgeon Dr Prabhat Kumar said, “We have also planned to earmark around 20 beds during the initial phase for isolation and treatment related to the Nipah virus, depending on the requirement.”

While six beds were readied for now, the isolation ward will be ramped up only if there is a surge in cases or suspects in the coming days as the hospital is currently operating with full occupancy, an official said. Medical staff were instructed to remain alert and strictly adhere to infection prevention and control protocols.

The hospital switched into a preparatory mode after a recent directive issued by the state health department to all civil surgeons across the state.

Health department said Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims), the state’s biggest medical college hospital, has an isolation ward of 22 beds which is well equipped to handle a surge in Nipah virus cases.

According to experts, the Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus, meaning it can spread from animals to humans, and is commonly associated with fruit bats. The virus can also spread through close contact with infected persons or contaminated food. Nipah infection can cause severe illness and has a high fatality rate.

Common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat. In severe cases, the infection can progress to dizziness, altered consciousness, respiratory distress, and acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), which can be fatal if not treated promptly.

Additional chief secretary health Ajoy Kumar Singh said a detailed public advisory will be issued soon. “The advisory will focus on strengthening coordination and ensuring timely response. To strengthen coordination, monitoring, and rapid response mechanisms at all levels, an advisory is being prepared and will be issued shortly, outlining precautionary measures for the public to follow,” he said.