Nipah Virus Cases in India Trigger Airport Screenings Across Asia

Two confirmed cases of the deadly Nipah virus in India’s West Bengal state have prompted several Asian countries to tighten health screening measures at airports and border crossings.

India’s Ministry of Health said the cases, identified since December and reportedly involving healthcare workers, are under close monitoring. A total of 196 contacts were traced, tested, and found to be asymptomatic. No cases have been reported outside India.

Thailand has begun screening passengers arriving from West Bengal at three international airports in Bangkok and Phuket, requiring health declarations. Enhanced screening has also been introduced at natural tourist attractions. A spokesperson for Thailand’s Department for Disease Control said authorities are confident in preventing an outbreak.

Nepal has also started screening arrivals at Kathmandu’s international airport and at land border crossings with India.

In Taiwan, health authorities have proposed classifying Nipah as a “Category 5 disease,” a designation for emerging or rare infections that pose major public health risks and require immediate reporting and special control measures.

Nipah is a zoonotic virus transmitted from animals such as fruit bats and pigs to humans and can also spread through contaminated food or person-to-person contact. The World Health Organization lists it among its top priority diseases due to its epidemic potential. The virus has a fatality rate of 40 to 75 percent, with no approved vaccine or treatment.

Symptoms typically appear within four to 14 days and may include fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat. Severe cases can lead to pneumonia and encephalitis, a potentially fatal brain inflammation.

Nipah was first identified in Malaysia in 1998, killing more than 100 people and leading to the culling of over one million pigs. Bangladesh has recorded more than 100 deaths since 2001, while India has experienced past outbreaks in West Bengal and Kerala, including deadly outbreaks in 2018 and 2023.