Nipah Virus Cases in India Prompt Heightened Airport Screenings Across Asia

New Delhi / Bangkok / Kathmandu (BBC) — January 2026: An outbreak of the Nipah virus in India’s eastern state of West Bengal has triggered precautionary health measures across parts of Asia, with several countries stepping up screening protocols at airports and border crossings.

Key Developments:

• India reports confirmed Nipah cases in West Bengal, prompting quarantine measures and heightened surveillance.
• Asian countries including Thailand and Nepal introduce airport and border screenings for travellers from affected areas.
• Health authorities warn of high fatality risk, as Nipah remains without an approved vaccine or specific treatment.

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Indian health officials have confirmed five infections linked to a private hospital in Barasat, where several healthcare workers were exposed earlier this month. At least one patient remains in critical condition, while more than 100 contacts have been placed under quarantine as authorities attempt to contain the spread.

In response, Thailand has begun screening passengers arriving from West Bengal at three international airports in Bangkok and Phuket. Travellers are being asked to submit health declarations, while surveillance has also been increased at tourist and wildlife destinations. Thai officials say they remain cautiously confident about preventing local transmission.

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Nepal has similarly tightened health checks at Kathmandu’s international airport and along key land border crossings with India. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s health authorities are considering classifying Nipah as a Category 5 disease, a designation reserved for rare or emerging infections that require immediate reporting and strict control measures.

A health worker wearing protective gear disposes of biohazard waste from a Nipah virus isolation centre at a government hospital in Kozhikode, in India’s southern state of Kerala. AFP/Getty.

The Nipah virus, classified by the World Health Organization as a priority pathogen, can spread from animals—particularly fruit bats and pigs—to humans, and also through close human contact or contaminated food. The disease has a fatality rate estimated between 40 and 75 percent, and there is currently no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment.

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Symptoms typically appear within four to 14 days and may begin with fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat. In severe cases, patients can develop pneumonia or encephalitis, a potentially fatal inflammation of the brain.

India has experienced Nipah outbreaks before, notably in West Bengal in 2001 and 2007, and more recently in Kerala, where several fatal cases were reported between 2018 and 2023. While no infections have been reported outside India in the current outbreak, regional health agencies say vigilance remains essential given the virus’s epidemic potential.

‘Health beware cards’ are being issued to guide travellers from West Bengal (Image: The Department of Disease Control).

Health experts continue to stress early detection, strict infection control, and cross-border coordination to prevent wider spread, as authorities monitor the situation closely across South and Southeast Asia.

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