Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal: Is a Nipah vaccine within reach?

The University of Tokyo has confirmed it will begin clinical trials for a Nipah virus vaccine in April this year. There is currently no licensed vaccine or antiviral treatment for the highly fatal virus. The University of Queensland and the University of Oxford are also developing candidates at various stages.

This development comes at a critical moment. On January 26, two healthcare workers in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district tested positive for the virus.