Airports across Southeast Asia have increased vigilance after West Bengal, India, confirmed an outbreak of Nipah virus — a disease with no approved cure.

Thailand has begun health screening for passengers arriving from West Bengal, and Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control plans to classify Nipah as a Category 5 threat, local media reported.

The Indian Health Ministry has confirmed two cases and said nearly 200 close contacts are being monitored and tested. No cases have been reported outside India in this episode.

Malaysia’s response and border health measures Malaysia’s Health Ministry said on 27 January that border health control measures are continually maintained. The ministry is verifying reports through official channels, including engagement with the World Health Organization and communications with relevant authorities. It said any public-health measures will be based on confirmed information and careful risk assessment, following national policy and established procedures.

“Any public health measures will be decided based on confirmed information and careful risk assessment, in line with national policies and established procedures,” Malaysia Health Ministry said.

Preparedness at points of entry remains in place at international airports, seaports and land border crossings. Measures include:

• Health surveillance and risk-based screening of travellers.
• Clear referral pathways for people with symptoms or suspected infection.
• Operational readiness of emergency medical teams consistent with infectious-disease guidelines.

The ministry emphasised that border health controls will be scaled up proportionately if risk assessments evolve or official epidemiological updates require it.

What is Nipah Virus?

Nipah is a zoonotic virus transmitted from animals to humans. Fruit bats (flying foxes) and pigs are the main animal hosts associated with human infections. Transmission to people can occur through:

• Direct contact with infected animals, their tissues or bodily fluids.
• Consumption of food contaminated by infected animals (for example, fruit or raw date palm sap contaminated by bats).
• Close person-to-person contact once the virus is established in humans.

How contagious is Nipah Virus?

Nipah was first identified in Malaysia in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers that killed more than 100 people. The virus is highly contagious among pigs and has caused repeated outbreaks in Asia, especially in Bangladesh and India.

In Bangladesh, outbreaks often follow a seasonal pattern from December to April, linked to the raw date palm sap harvesting season when bats may contaminate collected sap. Nipah has also caused outbreaks in Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.

This confirmed cluster is West Bengal’s first since 2007. Authorities in India and West Bengal say they responded promptly with enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing and field investigations; no additional cases have been detected since the original two.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms typically begin within days of infection and include:

• Fever, headache and muscle pain.
• Cough and breathing difficulties.
  As the disease progresses, neurological complications such as encephalitis (brain swelling) can develop and may be fatal. Survivors of encephalitis can recover but sometimes experience long-term effects, including seizure disorders.

Treatment and current research

Reported case-fatality rates vary but are high — roughly 40–70 percent according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are currently no licensed treatments or vaccines.

The World Health Organization designated Nipah as a priority pathogen in 2018, calling for accelerated research and development. Experimental vaccines and monoclonal antibody therapies are under investigation and show promise, but none are yet widely available.

Prevention and public-health advice With no proven medicines to prevent or treat Nipah, prevention focuses on reducing exposure:

• Prevent bat access to date palm sap collection sites and boil any collected sap before consumption.
• Avoid contact with sick pigs and other potential animal hosts; consider bat presence when siting pig farms.
• Maintain and follow screening and referral procedures at ports of entry and healthcare facilities.

Clinical management of infected patients is largely supportive and may require high-quality, resource-intensive bedside care. Enhanced local surveillance and traveller screening remain key tools for limiting spread during the current outbreak.