Kolkata, 12 Feb

A 25-year-old nurse who had recovered from Nipah virus infection died of cardiac arrest on Thursday at a private hospital at Barasat in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, a State health department official said.

She had been taken off ventilator support at the end of January.

"She died of cardiac arrest this afternoon. Though she had recovered from Nipah infection, she was suffering from multiple complications," the official told PTI.

The woman was one of two health workers in the State who tested positive for Nipah earlier this year. The other, a male nurse, had recovered and returned home.

The deceased, a resident of Katwa in Purba Bardhaman district, had been in a prolonged coma, which severely weakened her immunity, he said.

She also developed a lung infection and contracted a hospital-acquired infection during treatment.

"She was trying to regain consciousness, move her limbs, and speak before her condition suddenly deteriorated. She died at around 4.20pm," he said.

The nurse had first fallen ill in early January after returning home on 31 December for the New Year holidays and was initially admitted to Burdwan Medical College and Hospital before being shifted to the private hospital in Barasat.