Airports across Asia are reintroducing strict health checks, echoing the Covid-19 era, as a potential Nipah virus outbreak grips India. Countries like Thailand, Nepal, and Taiwan are cracking down on passengers, stepping up cleanliness and monitoring for symptoms to block the virus from crossing borders.
Nipah Cases Spark Alarm in India and Beyond
Two nurses in Barasat, West Bengal, fell critically ill in late December after a patient died from a mysterious illness. One nurse is in a coma while the other remains in critical condition, local reports reveal.
Health authorities are now tracking close to 200 people who may have been exposed to Nipah, quarantining around 100 in the hospital. Screening measures have extended to hundreds of Indian passengers at Thai airports.
Strict Airport Screenings Enforced as Virus Threat Looms
- Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, and Phuket airports have introduced checkpoints screening passengers arriving from India.
- 332 travellers on flights from Kolkata were screened for symptoms like high fever, a common sign of Nipah infection.
- Travellers displaying symptoms face immediate quarantine and receive ‘Health Beware Cards’ urging them to seek medical help if unwell.
- Public parks and caves in Thailand are under tighter surveillance, with officials warning against hunting or foraging to reduce virus spread.
- Nepal has implemented strict checks at Tribhuvan International Airport and border posts, while hospitals alert officials on suspicious cases.
- Taiwan plans to elevate Nipah to a Category 5 notifiable disease, the highest alert level.
What Is Nipah Virus? The Deadly Threat Explained
Nipah virus is a rare but deadly disease carried by fruit bats across South and Southeast Asia. It causes severe brain inflammation and respiratory issues with symptoms starting like the flu – fever, body aches, and vomiting.
“Nipah has no vaccine or cure, with death rates as high as 75%. Some survivors suffer long-term neurological impacts,” experts warn.
The virus spreads through direct contact or by consuming fruit contaminated with bat saliva or urine. First identified in 1998 in Malaysia, it has killed over 100 people and is considered a major epidemic risk by the World Health Organisation.
Official Statement Calms Fears After Initial Spike
Despite rumours of five confirmed cases, infectious disease specialist Dr Sayan Chakraborty told ANI news only two cases have been confirmed in West Bengal.
“The government has done a good job with contact tracing, quarantining, and testing. The earlier panic has subsided as people follow health advice,” said Dr Chakraborty.
No Nipah cases have been reported in Thailand so far, confirmed Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
