Premium

Nipah virus: Advanced ‘mobile laboratory’ from Pune NIV sent to West Bengal as virus hits health care workers

The van is a BSL-3 facility that was used during the Covid-19 pandemic and is stationed at Beleghata ID Hospital in Kolkata.

2 min readKolkataJan 16, 2026 01:59 PM IST

According to the latest reports, a doctor, a nurse, and a healthcare staff member have been infected with the Nipah virus. (Getty Image)

Following the confirmation of Nipah virus infections in five individuals, including a doctor, in West Bengal, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has dispatched an advanced mobile testing van from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune to the state for testing patient samples.

This Biosafety Level (BSL) 3 facility, which was also utilised during the Covid-19 pandemic, will be stationed at Beleghata ID Hospital, according to Dr Santa Sabuj Das, Director, National Institute for Research in Bacterial Infections (Nirbi).

“A mobile van has been sent, as we all know it is a highly infectious disease with high mortality. So it requires a very special precaution for handling clinical samples. The ICMR BSL-3 van will be deployed to various locations as needed. The vehicle has been sent from NIV Pune on Wednesday,” Dr Das said.

Also Read | Nipah in Bengal: From 21-day quarantine to RT-PCR test, state issues guidelines to combat virus

According to the latest reports, a doctor, a nurse, and a healthcare staff member have been infected with the Nipah virus — a highly fatal zoonotic infection, with fruit bats as the natural reservoir and pigs as hosts — in West Bengal. This brings the total number of active cases in West Bengal to five.

According to Dr Das, this mobile laboratory will handle the initial processing of samples and will decontaminate them before they are sent for RT-PCR testing. Currently, the team consists of six specialists from NIV Pune and nine from Nirbi, in addition to staff from two labs at SSKM and RG Kar Medical College hospitals in Kolkata, each equipped with three to four specialists to conduct the tests.

Tanusree Bose

Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage. Experience Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness. Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances. Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including: State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies. Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues. Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE). Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Taboola...