Airports across Asia reintroduce Covid-style health checks after outbreak of deadly Nipah virus in India
Airport screening ramped up amid deadly Nipah virus outbreak
- Thailand, Nepal, and Taiwan have intensified health surveillance and travel screening following a Nipah virus outbreak in India's West Bengal, where five cases have been confirmed.
- Thai authorities are screening passengers from West Bengal at major airports, issuing health advisories, and increasing cleaning protocols.
- Nepal has set up health desks at its international airport and land borders with India.
- Taiwan plans to classify Nipah virus as a Category 5 notifiable disease, its highest classification, which would mandate immediate reporting and special control measures due to its high fatality rate.
- The Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease primarily spread from infected pigs and bats, but can also transmit through close person-to-person contact, with a fatality rate ranging from 40 to 75 per cent.