Nipah Virus Outbreak in India Puts Asia on Alert as Airports Reinstate Health Screenings

A recent outbreak of the Nipah virus in India’s West Bengal state has triggered renewed public health measures across Asia, prompting countries to enhance surveillance, reinstate airport screenings reminiscent of the COVID-19 era, and strengthen disease tracking frameworks. Although cases remain limited so far, health officials remain vigilant due to Nipah’s high fatality rate and its potential for human-to-human transmission.

The Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic pathogen that can spread from animals to humans. Fruit bats of the genus Pteropus are the most common carriers of the Nipah virus. It has also been linked to domestic animals such as pigs and can transmit between humans through close contact with infected bodily fluids. Symptoms range widely, from mild fever and headache to severe respiratory distress and fatal encephalitis (brain inflammation).

Nipah is one of the most dangerous viral threats without an approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment because mortality rates in previous outbreaks have ranged from 40% to 75%. Health authorities in West Bengal, India, confirmed several Nipah virus infections this month, with at least five cases identified and around 100 individuals quarantined due to close contact exposures. Healthcare workers from the initial cluster are among the infected. To contain further spread, local officials have increased contact tracing, isolation protocols, and testing in affected hospitals. India’s National health bodies are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with regional centers of excellence to manage the outbreak.

The disease's high lethality and potential person-to-person spread have raised concerns beyond the state's borders, despite the swift response. In response to the emergence of Nipah cases in India, neighboring nations have taken preventative measures aimed at early detection and containment: Health screenings for travelers coming from high-risk areas like West Bengal have been reinstated at major international airports in several Asian nations, including Thailand, Nepal, and Taiwan. These checks — reminiscent of COVID-19 protocols — involve temperature monitoring, symptom checks and health declarations for passengers, especially those arriving from India.

Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has confirmed that no domestic Nipah cases have been detected so far, but passenger screening has been heightened at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket airports. Any traveler presenting fever or other potential symptoms is referred for further evaluation, and health warning cards are distributed to raise awareness of symptoms and reporting procedures.

Nepal has similarly increased vigilance at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and key land border points with India, recognizing the challenge posed by porous cross-border movement.

Additionally, updated travel advice is being issued by authorities. Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has proposed classifying Nipah virus infection as a Category 5 notifiable disease, signaling its status as an emerging or high-risk infection that would require immediate reporting and strict control measures if cases occur on the island. Public comment on this change will be open for 60 days before implementation.

Taiwan is currently issuing a "Level 2 "yellow" travel alert" for Kerala, a region in southern India that has a history of Nipah outbreaks, but not for West Bengal. Travelers should exercise extra caution, stay away from raw foods like unpasteurized coconut juice, which could be contaminated with bat secretions, and take general hygiene precautions. Public health experts emphasize that early detection and containment are crucial to preventing wider transmission. While the current outbreak appears contained within a specific region of India, the absence of a vaccine and the virus’s severe outcome in many cases have heightened caution among health agencies across Asia.

Authorities are encouraging travelers to stay informed through official channels, comply with screening procedures at ports of entry, and seek prompt medical care if symptoms develop within 21 days of exposure — the usual incubation window for Nipah virus.

Public health systems in several Asian nations have responded to the Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal by reactivating pandemic-era airport defenses and strengthening disease control frameworks. Although the number of confirmed cases remains limited and most unaffected countries have not recorded local infections, the seriousness of the virus — combined with experiences from previous outbreaks — underscores the importance of vigilance, rapid reporting and regional cooperation in managing emerging infectious threats.