Srinagar, Jan. 22 -- For most people, the word "Nipah" still sounds distant and unfamiliar. But for families in parts of West Bengal and Kerala, it has become a word that brings fear, uncertainty, and painful memories. That fear returned once again when a new Nipah case was detected in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, on 11 January 2026, the first such case in the state in nearly two decades. The Nipah virus is rare, but when it strikes, it strikes hard. First detected in India in 2001, it has appeared again and again over the years, mostly in West Bengal and Kerala. Each outbreak has been small in numbers, but devastating in impact. The virus has no vaccine, no specific cure, and a frighteningly high death rate. From 2001 to 2026, India h...