India is facing another health crisis. India should not host the T20 World Cup 2026 during the Nipah virus outbreak. Thousands of athletes are in danger. India and the BCCI are playing with the lives of cricketers. Social media is abuzz with many such statements. Some people want you to believe that the recent Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal is so deadly that China and some Southeast Asian countries have already begun screening at the airports. So, is it so bad that India is unfit to host the T20 World Cup next week?
In short, no. The recent Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal is not something new. It is the eighth time that there has been a Nipah outbreak, with two female nurses in West Bengal testing positive in December. Both are quarantined and under treatment. Their contacts have also been traced and examined. All of them tested negative.
“Enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing, and field investigations were undertaken through coordinated efforts of Central and State health agencies, which ensured timely containment of the cases. No additional Nipah Virus Disease cases have been detected so far. The situation is under constant monitoring, and all necessary public health measures are in place,” the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement.
What is Nipah Virus?
As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus, usually transmitted from animals to humans. It can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. Nipah virus was first identified in 1998 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia. In 1999, an outbreak was reported in Singapore following the importation of sick pigs from Malaysia. It has a fatality rate of 40-75% with no vaccine or cure at the moment. There have been a total of 756 cases with 435 deaths.
However, unlike the SARS-CoV-2 that caused Covid-19 pandemic, there is no evidence that the virus is airborne. But it must be noted that the virus could spread from respiratory droplets to nearby people if an infected person sneezes or coughs.
In India, the virus was first reported in 2001 in West Bengal’s Siliguri. There have been several outbreaks in Kerala and West Bengal. Learning from the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries, including Nepal, Thailand and Indonesia, have begun thermal screening at the airports. Australia is also closely monitoring the situation.
Weaponising fear
Many such statements mentioned above originate from Pakistan. As of January 30, Pakistan has begun screening at the airports, while many Chinese nationals have called for the suspension of airtravel from India. However, the ground reality is different.
The two cases of Nipah virus in West Bengal are the only ones so far. Their 196 contacts were traced, examined, and all of them tested negative. Hence, to say that the outbreak is a health emergency is overstating the severity. At present, it is a local outbreak and is contained.
“No additional Nipah cases have been detected so far. The situation is being monitored. Based on current evidence, WHO does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions,” the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a news bulletin.
Does it pose a threat to the T20 World Cup? Absolutely not. The organiser, BCCI, always consults the government agencies in case there’s any health emergency. However, in this case, the social media chatter about the severity of the Nipah virus outbreak is only strategic and fearmongering. The government of India has already warned against such misinformation that creates panic.
“Players’ health and safety are always very important to us. We do not take any health emergency casually. There is always a detailed plan before a major event on health or any security concerns. We haven’t found any. If the cases increase, we will consult the local authorities and the government. For now, it is only fearmongering. There is no cause for concern,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.
Are T20 World Cup matches in Kolkata in danger?
The two cases of the Nipah virus were traced in Barasat, some 30 kilometres away from the Eden Gardens, which will host six matches of the T20 World Cup 2026, including the semifinal. However, since those two are isolated incidents, there is no safety concern. The matches will go ahead as scheduled.
“There is no concern at all and the question of shifting matches out of Kolkata doesn’t even arise. It’s all safe. If the government or the local authorities advise us otherwise, we will plan accordingly. At the moment, there have been no discussions regarding anything on the Nipah outbreak,” the BCCI official added.
