Airports in several parts of Asia have increased health surveillance and travel screening after an outbreak of Nipah virus was reported in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan are among the few first countries and territories implementing precautionary measures following confirmation of five cases in West Bengal.
Nipah is a zoonotic disease primarily transmitted to humans from infected bats and pigs, and it can also spread through close person-to-person contact.
In West Bengal, about 100 people have been quarantined after the virus was found in a hospital. A doctor, a nurse and another staff member tested positive after two nurses from the same district were initially confirmed as cases.
In Thailand, the public health ministry has strengthened screening at major airports for passengers arriving from West Bengal, using procedures refined during the Covid-19 pandemic.
At Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket airports, travellers are being checked for fever and symptoms linked to Nipah, and health “beware” cards are being handed out with guidance on what to do if symptoms develop. Officials have also increased cleaning and disease-control measures at Phuket International Airport as part of the preventive steps. The Indian carrier IndiGo operates a daily direct flight between Kolkata’s international airport in West Bengal and Phuket.
Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul in his public statement reassured the public that no Nipah cases have been detected in Thailand but said vigilance would continue. Thailand’s Department of Disease Control began screening travellers from West Bengal at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports from 25 January; authorities reported good cooperation from passengers at checkpoints. Travellers who arrive with high fever or symptoms consistent with Nipah are to be moved to quarantine facilities, according to local reports.
The department for public parks and wildlife has ordered tougher screening in caves and natural tourist sites amid concerns about the outbreak and urged visitors: “Don’t hunt, don’t forage, don’t eat.”
In Nepal, the government has raised its alert level and stepped up health checks at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and at major land border crossings with India to reduce the risk of importation. Health desks at these points are screening travellers for symptoms, and hospitals and border health posts have been instructed to report and manage suspected cases. Officials emphasised the difficulty of controlling movement across open borders and daily travel from neighbouring West Bengal. Dr Prakash Budhathoki, a health ministry spokesperson, said that individual screening of passengers at Tribhuvan International Airport and border points has begun, with intensified surveillance in Koshi Province and checks ordered for other entry points.
Taiwanese authorities are preparing to classify Nipah virus infection as a Category 5 notifiable disease—the highest category for serious emerging infections under local law—subject to a 60-day public comment period. If adopted, this would mandate immediate reporting and special control measures should cases arise, reflecting concern about Nipah’s high fatality rate and epidemic potential. Taiwan’s Centres for Disease Control is maintaining a Level 2 “yellow” travel alert—advising caution—for Kerala state in southwest India. Deputy director-general Lin Ming-cheng said travel advice will be updated as the situation evolves. The World Health Organization has listed Nipah as a priority pathogen because of its potential to spark an epidemic.
Early symptoms of Nipah infection can include fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat; more severe signs are dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, atypical severe pneumonia and respiratory problems. Some infected people may remain asymptomatic, while others can develop acute respiratory distress.
In severe cases Nipah can cause fatal encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain. Past outbreaks have shown high case-fatality rates—between about 40% and 75%, depending on the event and viral strain.
Nipah has previously been reported in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore; Bangladesh has recorded the most cases, with 341 confirmed and 241 deaths, according to the International Society for Infectious Diseases.
