Asian Airports Tighten Checks Amid Deadly Nipah Virus Outbreak in India
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- Asian nations tighten airport health checks after a deadly Nipah virus outbreak in India’s West Bengal sparks fears of COVID-like spread across the region.
- The Nipah virus has re-emerged in West Bengal, India, raising alarm throughout Asia. Thailand, Nepal, and Taiwan have stepped up airport screening as the WHO lists the virus among top pandemic threats. With no vaccine and a fatality rate over 40%, authorities remain on high alert.
- This article explores Asia’s rapid response to the resurgence of the Nipah virus in India, emphasizing international health coordination, the pathogen’s epidemiological profile, and containment efforts mirroring early responses to COVID‑19.
The deadly outbreak of the Nipah virus in West Bengal, India, has sparked growing alarm across Asia, prompting several countries to tighten health screenings at major airports. According to a BBC report on Tuesday (Jan 27, 2026), Thailand has begun implementing entry checks at three airports for passengers arriving from West Bengal.
Starting Sunday (Jan 25, 2026), screening procedures were launched at airports in Bangkok and Phuket. Travelers from West Bengal are required to undergo temperature checks and submit health declaration forms before entering the country.
Jurai Wongswasdi, spokesperson for Thailand’s Department of Disease Control, told BBC Thai that the local authorities are “confident” they can prevent the virus from spreading within Thailand’s borders.
Nepal has taken similar measures, introducing screenings for all international arrivals at Kathmandu airport and at various land border crossings connected with India. In Taiwan, health authorities have officially classified the Nipah virus as a Category 5 disease, defined as a rare or emerging infectious disease with high health risks that requires mandatory reporting and strict containment measures.
The Nipah virus is zoonotic, meaning it can spread from animals to humans. It carries a fatality rate between 40 and 74 percent, and, alarmingly, there is currently no available vaccine or specific treatment for infected patients. The virus can be transmitted from pigs and fruit bats to humans, and in some cases, through contaminated food or direct human-to-human contact.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed Nipah among the top 10 priority pathogens capable of triggering pandemics, alongside viruses such as COVID-19 and Zika. The virus’s incubation period typically lasts up to 14 days.
Symptoms and Clinical Impact
Individuals infected with the Nipah virus may exhibit a wide range of symptoms—or none at all. Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat. In more severe cases, the infection can progress to extreme drowsiness, loss of consciousness, and pneumonia. Encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, may occur in critical cases, often resulting in death.
To date, no vaccine or approved medication has been developed to combat Nipah virus infection. The first recorded outbreak occurred in 1998 among pig farmers in Malaysia, spreading later to neighboring Singapore. The virus was named after the Malaysian village Sungai Nipah, where it was initially identified. More than 100 people were killed and nearly one million pigs were culled to contain the outbreak, causing significant economic losses to pig farmers.
In 2001, another outbreak took place in Bangladesh, infecting around 100 people. The same year, cases were also reported in West Bengal, India. In 2018, 19 Nipah virus infections were detected in Kerala, India, resulting in 17 deaths. The virus resurfaced in 2023, killing two of six infected patients.
Just last week, at least five new confirmed cases—all healthcare workers from a private hospital in Barasat, West Bengal—were reported. According to local media, two nurses remain in intensive care, while one is in critical condition. Health authorities have placed 110 people who came into contact with them under quarantine.
Indonesianpost.com | Antara
