AI-generated image NEW DELHI: A National Joint Outbreak Response Team was rushed to West Bengal after two suspected cases of Nipah virus disease were identified on Sunday at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) of the Indian Council of Medical Research at All India Institute of Medical Sciences Kalyani. Given Nipah’s high fatality rate and potential for rapid spread, the situation is being handled on priority by both the union amd state governments. Soon after the alert, the Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, reviewed the situation with senior state officials to ensure quick, coordinated containment measures.A National Joint Outbreak Response Team, which comprises experts from the All India Institute of Health and Public Hygiene, the National Institute of Virology, the National Institute of Epidemiology, AIIMS Kalyani, and the Department of Wildlife under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, was rushed to the state to assess the situation.Central guidelines on Nipah virus disease have been shared with the state’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), while the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) at the National Centre for Disease Control, New Delhi, has been activated to steer the national response.Union health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda has assured West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee of full central support. Authorities said enhanced surveillance, laboratory backup, infection control measures and rigorous contact tracing are already underway.Officials said that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is closely monitoring the situation with the state government as investigations and containment efforts continue.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCongress MP says India remains “heavily invested emotionally and politically” in Bangladesh”Our Youth Is Creative And Innovative,” PM Modi At Viksit Bharat Dialogue“Deeply Impressed,” CEOs Share Takeaways After Meeting PM Modi | VideoFrom Defence To AI: PM Modi Urges German CEOs To Make India Their Global Manufacturing Base’Real Friends Always…’: Trump’s New Envoy Sergio Gor Pledges To Reset India-US TiesNot Trade Or Defence: Why Four-Year Old Baby Ariha Shah Became Key Topic In Modi–Germany TalksAAP’s Raghav Chadha Turns Blinkit Delivery Agent for a Day Amid Gig Workers’ Row’Will Come to Mumbai, Try Cutting My Legs: Annamalai Hits Back at Raj ThackerayIndia Tests Indigenous Fire And Forget Anti-Tank Missile With Top Attack Strike On Moving TargetsShaksgam Valley Row Deepens As China Rejects India’s Claim And Defends CPEC Infra Project With Pak123PhotostoriesBreathtaking pictures of Nupur Sanon and Stebin Ben’s stylish Hindu wedding5 animals that survive by pretending to be deadHow to make Halwai Style Aloo Sabji at homeFrom mindful portions to intermittent fasting: When Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’s Munmun Dutta gave a peek into her disciplined diet and daily routineTimothée Chalamet to Jacob Elordi: The Men of the 2026 Golden Globes who delivered a masterclass in modern tailoringThalapathy Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan’ delayed: 8 must-watch OTT hits to streamTamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026: Alliances, numbers and the battle for 234 seats5 jungle survival tips Bear Grylls swears by, and how they apply beyond the wildChef Sanjeev Kapoor shares 5 crunchy snack recipes to enjoy with chai during winter `Best horror dramas on Apple TV: ‘The Enfield Poltergeist’, ‘Servant’ and more123Hot PicksISRO PSLV-C62 missionTrump tariffsGold rate todayBengaluru newsCigarette price hikePublic holidays January 2026Bank Holidays JanuaryTop TrendingStephen Curry BrotherLebron JamesMatthew and Brady Tkachuks Combined Net WorthVanessa BryantBengaluru Girl RapeConnor McDavidISRO LaunchGeorge Valera Net WorthNandani SharmaDarius Slay
NEW DELHI: A National Joint Outbreak Response Team was rushed to West Bengal after two suspected cases of Nipah virus disease were identified on Sunday at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) of the Indian Council of Medical Research at All India Institute of Medical Sciences Kalyani. Given Nipah’s high fatality rate and potential for rapid spread, the situation is being handled on priority by both the union amd state governments. Soon after the alert, the Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, reviewed the situation with senior state officials to ensure quick, coordinated containment measures.A National Joint Outbreak Response Team, which comprises experts from the All India Institute of Health and Public Hygiene, the National Institute of Virology, the National Institute of Epidemiology, AIIMS Kalyani, and the Department of Wildlife under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, was rushed to the state to assess the situation.Central guidelines on Nipah virus disease have been shared with the state’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), while the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) at the National Centre for Disease Control, New Delhi, has been activated to steer the national response.Union health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda has assured West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee of full central support. Authorities said enhanced surveillance, laboratory backup, infection control measures and rigorous contact tracing are already underway.Officials said that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is closely monitoring the situation with the state government as investigations and containment efforts continue.
![Zoji La [Ladakh] SRINAGAR: Zoji La tunnel, an upcoming strategic corridor that will provide all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh, is nearing a defining moment, with engineers inching towards a “breakthrough” final blast expected around May 30.Work is progressing at about four meters per day from both ends — Sonamarg (Baltal) in Kashmir and Minamarg in Ladakh — using controlled drilling and blasting. Only 300 meters of the 13.155km tunnel is left to excavate, Harpal Singh, chief operating officer (COO) of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL), told TOI. The Hyderabad-based company is executing the project.“The final blast will bring the excavation phase to a close, completing the tunnel’s core structure,” Singh said, adding the blast will signal the physical connection between Kashmir and Ladakh.According to Singh, this historic milestone will be achieved by reducing tunnel excavation to zero within 30 to 35 days. “Breakthrough will ensure speedy construction of the remaining works, including concrete lining, permanent tunnel drainage, installation of surveillance equipment, control buildings, underground transformers and (traffic) smoke control systems,” Singh explained.The tunnel is still another two-and-a-half years from completion. Before it is opened to the public, the breakthrough will allow construction teams and machines to move seamlessly between two ends, streamlining work. “The teams and equipment can move through the tunnel without any hassle,” Singh said, adding this will help sustain construction through winters when heavy snowfall in Sonamarg halts surface movement.The tunnel will reduce distance between the two ends (Sonamarg and Minamarg) from 49km to 43km and increase vehicle speeds from 30kmph to 70kmph, officials said.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSamrat Chaudhary Becomes Bihar CM: A Political Journey Marked by Setbacks and ReinventionIran Expresses Confidence In India’s BRICS Presidency Amid West Asia ConflictPM Modi, Donald Trump Hold 40-Min Phone Call, Discuss Strait Of Hormuz, West Asia SituationPak Enters Noida? Stunning Twist To Wage War As Workers Riot In NCR; Yogi Minister Drops BombshellFuel Price Freeze Amid Hormuz Crisis Is Costing Oil Companies Thousands of Crores DailyChina Defends Renaming Places In Arunachal After India Slams Beijing’s ‘Mischievous Attempt’Bihar DY CM Puzzle for JDU, Nishant Kumar Reluctance Complicates NDA MathNitish Kumar Resigns After 20 Years as Bihar CM; BJP Names Samrat Choudhary as SuccessorWomen’s Reservation Bill Explained: How 850-Seat Lok Sabha Plan Promises To Change Indian PoliticsExplained: Supreme Court Backs Right to Vote but Denies Relief to Bengal’s Deleted Voters123PhotostoriesWhy this new rice variety is called ‘Designer Rice’ and how it will impact your protein intake10 free things to do in Noida that are actually worth your timeHow to make Chef Sanjeev Kapoor-style Langarwali Dal6 essential real estate investment strategies for first-time buyers9 unique food etiquette rules from around the worldTop 5 IT hubs in India driving real estate demandArgue without breaking up: 5 simple rules every couple needs to know‘Bhooth Bangla’, ‘Dacoit’ To ‘The Drama’: What to watch in theatres this Week5 things you can bake beyond bread in an OTGIsrael–Lebanon tensions flare again: Inside Hezbollah’s arsenal and Lebanon’s military hand against Israel123Hot PicksIran warStock market holidayPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingDelhi-Dehradun ExpresswayStock market holidayBank holiday todayKaty PerryAnna Kepner murderDon TzuPraful HingeIPL Points TableKavya MaranNFL news roundup](https://vknewstoday.in/wp-content/uploads/1776198165_photo.jpg "Zoji La [Ladakh] SRINAGAR: Zoji La tunnel, an upcoming strategic corridor that will provide all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh, is nearing a defining moment, with engineers inching towards a “breakthrough” final blast expected around May 30.Work is progressing at about four meters per day from both ends — Sonamarg (Baltal) in Kashmir and Minamarg in Ladakh — using controlled drilling and blasting. Only 300 meters of the 13.155km tunnel is left to excavate, Harpal Singh, chief operating officer (COO) of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL), told TOI. The Hyderabad-based company is executing the project.“The final blast will bring the excavation phase to a close, completing the tunnel’s core structure,” Singh said, adding the blast will signal the physical connection between Kashmir and Ladakh.According to Singh, this historic milestone will be achieved by reducing tunnel excavation to zero within 30 to 35 days. “Breakthrough will ensure speedy construction of the remaining works, including concrete lining, permanent tunnel drainage, installation of surveillance equipment, control buildings, underground transformers and (traffic) smoke control systems,” Singh explained.The tunnel is still another two-and-a-half years from completion. Before it is opened to the public, the breakthrough will allow construction teams and machines to move seamlessly between two ends, streamlining work. “The teams and equipment can move through the tunnel without any hassle,” Singh said, adding this will help sustain construction through winters when heavy snowfall in Sonamarg halts surface movement.The tunnel will reduce distance between the two ends (Sonamarg and Minamarg) from 49km to 43km and increase vehicle speeds from 30kmph to 70kmph, officials said.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSamrat Chaudhary Becomes Bihar CM: A Political Journey Marked by Setbacks and ReinventionIran Expresses Confidence In India’s BRICS Presidency Amid West Asia ConflictPM Modi, Donald Trump Hold 40-Min Phone Call, Discuss Strait Of Hormuz, West Asia SituationPak Enters Noida? Stunning Twist To Wage War As Workers Riot In NCR; Yogi Minister Drops BombshellFuel Price Freeze Amid Hormuz Crisis Is Costing Oil Companies Thousands of Crores DailyChina Defends Renaming Places In Arunachal After India Slams Beijing’s ‘Mischievous Attempt’Bihar DY CM Puzzle for JDU, Nishant Kumar Reluctance Complicates NDA MathNitish Kumar Resigns After 20 Years as Bihar CM; BJP Names Samrat Choudhary as SuccessorWomen’s Reservation Bill Explained: How 850-Seat Lok Sabha Plan Promises To Change Indian PoliticsExplained: Supreme Court Backs Right to Vote but Denies Relief to Bengal’s Deleted Voters123PhotostoriesWhy this new rice variety is called ‘Designer Rice’ and how it will impact your protein intake10 free things to do in Noida that are actually worth your timeHow to make Chef Sanjeev Kapoor-style Langarwali Dal6 essential real estate investment strategies for first-time buyers9 unique food etiquette rules from around the worldTop 5 IT hubs in India driving real estate demandArgue without breaking up: 5 simple rules every couple needs to know‘Bhooth Bangla’, ‘Dacoit’ To ‘The Drama’: What to watch in theatres this Week5 things you can bake beyond bread in an OTGIsrael–Lebanon tensions flare again: Inside Hezbollah’s arsenal and Lebanon’s military hand against Israel123Hot PicksIran warStock market holidayPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingDelhi-Dehradun ExpresswayStock market holidayBank holiday todayKaty PerryAnna Kepner murderDon TzuPraful HingeIPL Points TableKavya MaranNFL news roundup")