Health Worker Succumbs to Complications at Barasat Private Hospital
A 25-year-old nurse who had earlier recovered from a Nipah virus infection died of cardiac arrest on Thursday at a private hospital in Barasat, located in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, a state health department official confirmed.
According to officials, the nurse had been taken off ventilator support at the end of January after showing signs of recovery from the viral infection. However, she continued to suffer from multiple medical complications even after testing negative for the virus.
Speaking to Press Trust of India, the official stated that although the nurse had recovered from Nipah infection, her prolonged critical condition had severely weakened her immunity. She died at around 4:20 PM following sudden deterioration in her health.
The nurse was one of two healthcare workers in the state who had tested positive for Nipah virus earlier this year. The other infected health worker, a male nurse, has since recovered and returned home.
A resident of Katwa in Purba Bardhaman district, the deceased had remained in a prolonged coma during her treatment, which significantly compromised her overall health. Officials said she also developed a lung infection during her hospital stay.
Additionally, she reportedly contracted a hospital-acquired infection while undergoing treatment, further complicating her recovery process. Despite initial signs of improvement, including attempts to regain consciousness and move her limbs, her condition worsened unexpectedly.
The nurse had first fallen ill in early January after returning home on December 31 for New Year holidays. She was initially admitted to Burdwan Medical College and Hospital before being shifted to the private facility in Barasat for advanced care.
Earlier, two more nurses were admitted to Beliaghata ID Hospital in Kolkata after showing symptoms of Nipah virus infection. Nipah virus is classified as a notifiable disease, requiring immediate reporting to the central government, underscoring the seriousness of such cases.
