(Press-News.org) Tampa, FL, USA, January 30, 2026: The Global Virus Network (GVN), representing eminent human and animal virologists from more than 90 Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in over 40 countries dedicated to advancing research, collaboration, and pandemic preparedness, is monitoring reports of a Nipah virus outbreak in India and emphasizes that such cases, while very concerning and serious, are not unexpected or unprecedented. Sporadic Nipah virus infections have occurred almost annually in parts of South Asia, particularly in India and Bangladesh, and do not indicate a new or escalating global threat.
Nipah virus is a zoonotic pathogen carried by fruit bats, with human infections typically linked to localized exposure, such as contact with infected animals or contaminated food. Human-to-human transmission can occur but remains rare and usually requires very close contact during acute illness.
“Overall, the risk of regional or global spread of Nipah virus is very low,” said Professor Linfa Wang, PhD, Director of the GVN Center of Excellence at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore. “Similar outbreaks have occurred repeatedly in India and Bangladesh, driven largely by specific cultural and environmental factors rather than sustained human transmission.”
Countries with strong public-health systems and surveillance capacity are well positioned to mitigate the risk posed by Nipah virus through early detection, clinical awareness, and rapid diagnostics.
GVN is monitoring the situation closely through its network of Affiliates and Centers of Excellence, including the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV) in Kerala, a GVN Affiliate through the Centers of Excellence at University College Dublin and Hokkaido University. Researchers at IAV are engaged in Nipah virus research, surveillance, and development of new diagnostic testing.
While there are currently no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments for Nipah virus, promising candidates have shown effectiveness in animal studies. Professor Wang said, “Progress depends on sustained public-good investment and international cooperation.”
The Global Virus Network underscores that the current outbreak does not represent a global emergency, but it does highlight the ongoing importance of surveillance, diagnostics, and globally connected scientific networks to detect and defend against emerging infectious threats.
Media Contact:
Nora Samaranayake
nsamaranayake@gvn.org
###
About the Global Virus Network
The Global Virus Network (GVN) is a worldwide coalition comprising 90+ Virology Centers of Excellence and Affiliates across 40+ countries, whose mission is to facilitate pandemic preparedness against viral pathogens and diseases that threaten public health globally. GVN advances knowledge of viruses through (i) data-driven research and solutions, (ii) fostering the next generation of virology leaders, and (iii) enhancing global resources for readiness and response to emerging viral threats. GVN provides the essential expertise required to discover and diagnose viruses that threaten public health, understand how such viruses spread illnesses, and facilitate the development of diagnostics, therapies, and treatments to combat them. GVN coordinates and collaborates with local, national, and international scientific institutions and government agencies to provide real-time virus informatics, surveillance, and response resources and strategies. GVN's pandemic preparedness mission is achieved by focusing on Education & Training, Qualitative & Quantitative Research, and Global Health Strategies & Solutions. The GVN is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, please visit www.gvn.org.
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Tau protein aggregation is a shared feature in over 20 neurodegenerative diseases (collectively referred to as “tauopathies”). New research led by Boston Children’s Hospital challenges the current "one-size-fits-all" approach to diagnosing and treating these tauopathies.
The team, led by senior authors Judith A. Steen, PhD, and Hanno Steen, PhD, and executed by co–first authors Mukesh Kumar, PhD, Christoph N. Schlaffner, PhD, Shaojun Tang, PhD, and Maaike A. Beuvink, analyzed brain tissue from 203 patients spanning several tauopathies, including ...
About The Study: This analysis documents a major demographic transition; non-Hispanic white births now constitute less than half of U.S. births, while Hispanic births exceed one-fourth. These shifts reflect declining fertility across most groups, contrasted with immigration trends and younger ages among Hispanic women that sustain overall birth rates.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Amos Grünebaum, MD, email agrunebaum@northwell.edu.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/
(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.56659)
Editor’s ...
About The Study: In this cohort study of 47,000 adults participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, after accounting for demographic characteristics (e.g., age, race and ethnicity), behavioral factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol use), and chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension), males had a 63% greater risk of all-cause mortality than females. These findings suggest that there may be intrinsic biological factors (sex hormones, chromosomes, or immune response) associated with sex differences in mortality. Further research should investigate the effects ...
News Release | Washington University in St. Louis
NEWS RELEASE
Embargoed until 11 a.m. ET Friday, Jan. 30, 2026
MEDIA CONTACT
Abeeha Shamshad · abeeha@wustl.edu · 925-998-0775
Since it was first detected in the U.S. in 2014, H5N1 avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has jumped from wild birds to farm animals and then to people, causing more than 70 human cases in the U.S. since 2022, including two fatalities. The virus continues to circulate among ...
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The ...
New York, Jan. 30, 2026 — More than 4 in 10 women in the U.S. have some form of cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease or stroke — a figure that is only expected to grow. Each year, heart disease and stroke kill more women than all forms of cancer combined.
To help reverse that trend, leading global fashion, beauty and lifestyle retailers joined the American Heart Association volunteers at the New York Stock Exchange to ring the opening bell and sound an alarm — launching the inaugural Go Red. Shop with Heart. campaign to raise funds and awareness of the growing burden of heart disease ...
Korea University College of Medicine (Dean Sung Bom Pyun; Principal Investigator Byung Chul Chun, MD, PhD, MPH) successfully concluded the 2025 Lee Jong-Wook Fellowship on Infectious Disease Specialists Program on October 17. The program is jointly organized by Korea University College of Medicine and GC Labs under the auspices of the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH).
The Lee Jong-Wook Fellowship was established in honor of the late Dr. Jong-Wook Lee, the 6th Director-General of the World Health ...
A new survey shows that there is a clear difference between girls and boys when it comes to well-being at school.
"Girls are happier than boys. This applies both in class and at school in general," says Professor Hermundur Sigmundsson at the Department of Psychology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
The researchers questioned 1620 children aged 6 to 9 years in Norway. The average age was 7.5 years old, meaning these were youngest children in primary school.
The gender differences are clear.
Safety ...
UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 9 am Friday, Jan. 30, 2026
Researchers ...
The globe may be running out of sand suitable for concrete. Researchers are therefore testing a possible solution for using desert sand as a material.
The world's most important building material
Concrete is the world's most widely used building material – second only to water. Globally, more than four billion tonnes of cement are produced every year. Concrete consumption is so enormous that it accounts for around eight percent of the world's CO₂ emissions.
To make concrete, sand is needed, and not just any sand: it must be of the right size and shape. Therefore, rock is crushed into gravel and sand, and river sand is excavated ...
