New Delhi, Jan. 27 -- Airports across several parts of Asia have tightened health surveillance and reintroduced Covid-era screening protocols after an outbreak of the Nipah virus in India, prompting regional governments to step up preventive measures amid concerns over cross-border travel.
Authorities in Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan moved quickly after five Nipah virus cases were confirmed in West Bengal. The virus, a zoonotic disease, is known to spread from animals such as bats and pigs to humans and can also be transmitted through close person-to-person contact.
In West Bengal, about 100 people have been placed under quarantine after the virus was detected at a hospital. Health officials confirmed that a doctor, a nurse and another hospital staff member tested positive following two earlier cases involving a male and a female nurse from the same district. The detection of infections among healthcare workers has raised concerns about in-hospital transmission.
Thailand's Ministry of Public Health has intensified screening at major international gateways, including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket airports. Passengers arriving from West Bengal are being monitored for fever and other symptoms associated with Nipah and are issued health "beware" cards advising them on steps to take if they fall ill. Screening methods developed during the Covid-19 pandemic are being used.
Additional cleaning and disease-control measures have been rolled out at Phuket International Airport. The airport has direct connectivity with Kolkata through a daily IndiGo flight, increasing the focus on vigilance. Thai Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that no Nipah cases had been recorded in Thailand so far, but surveillance would remain in place. A government statement said the Department of Disease Control began screening travellers from West Bengal at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports on January 25 and noted strong cooperation from passengers.
Travellers displaying high fever or symptoms suggestive of infection may be transferred to quarantine facilities, according to local media reports. Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has also ordered stricter monitoring in caves and natural tourist sites, urging visitors to follow the rule, "Don't hunt, don't forage, don't eat."
In Nepal, alert levels have been raised and health checks intensified at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and at major land border crossings with India. Health desks have been set up to screen travellers, and hospitals and border health posts have been instructed to report and manage suspected cases. Ministry of Health spokesperson Dr Prakash Budhathoki said individual screening had begun at the airport and border points, with heightened surveillance in Koshi Province due to frequent movement across the open border with West Bengal.
Taiwan's health authorities are planning to designate Nipah virus infection as a Category 5 notifiable disease, the highest classification for emerging infections under local law. The proposal, subject to a 60-day public consultation, would mandate immediate reporting and special control measures if cases are detected. Taiwan's Centres for Disease Control said it is maintaining a Level 2 "yellow" travel alert for Kerala in southwestern India, with advisories to be updated as the situation evolves.
The World Health Organisation has identified Nipah as a priority pathogen due to its epidemic potential. Symptoms can range from fever, headache and muscle pain to severe respiratory illness and encephalitis. Fatality rates in past outbreaks have ranged between 40 and 75 per cent, depending on the strain and circumstances. The virus has been reported in countries including Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, with Bangladesh recording 341 cases and 241 deaths, according to the International Society for Infectious Diseases.with agency inputs
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.