Some countries are on high alert after two cases of a deadly, incurable virus were reported in India this week.
India’s Health Ministry said Monday, Jan. 26, that two nurses at a private hospital near Kolkata, West Bengal, had been diagnosed with Nipah virus and one was in "critical" condition.
The virus has a high mortality rate and high likelihood of causing serious illness. Airports in some Asian countries tightened protocols following the announcement, though Indian health officials said the outbreak has been contained.
Here's what to know about the Nipah virus.
The Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. The virus, carried by fruit bats, was first discovered in 1999 following an outbreak in pigs and people in Malaysia and Singapore, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
