NEW DELHI – Indian officials have successfully managed a Nipah virus outbreak following the confirmation of two infections in West Bengal, prompting several Asian nations to enhance health checks and airport monitoring for travelers from India.
On Tuesday, the Health Ministry of India announced the detection of two Nipah cases since December. Authorities have quarantined and tested all known contacts of the infected individuals. While specifics about the patients remain undisclosed, the ministry confirmed that 196 contacts were traced and all tested negative.
The ministry assured, “We are closely monitoring the situation and implementing all essential public health measures.”
Nipah is a zoonotic virus first discovered during an outbreak in Malaysia in the 1990s. It spreads via fruit bats, pigs, and human contact. Lacking a vaccine, the virus can lead to severe symptoms like high fevers, seizures, and vomiting, with treatment limited to supportive care to manage complications and ensure patient comfort.
According to the WHO, Nipah’s fatality rate ranges from 40% to 75%, making it significantly more lethal than COVID-19.
While no cases have surfaced outside India, several Asian nations have either introduced or strengthened airport screenings as a precautionary measure. This response followed initial media reports from India suggesting a rise in cases, though health officials later clarified these reports as “speculative and incorrect.”
Indonesia and Thailand increased screening at major airports, with health declarations, temperature checks and visual monitoring for arriving passengers. Thailand’s Department of Disease Control said thermal scanners had been installed at arrival gates for direct flights from West Bengal at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Myanmar’s Health Ministry advised against nonessential travel to West Bengal and urged travelers to seek immediate medical care if symptoms develop within 14 days of travel. It said fever surveillance introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic at airports has been intensified for passengers arriving from India, with laboratory testing capacity and medical supplies readied.
Vietnam’s Health Ministry on Tuesday urged strict food safety practices and directed local authorities to increase monitoring at border crossings, health facilities and communities, according to state media.
China said it was strengthening disease prevention measures in border areas. State media reported that health authorities had begun risk assessments and enhanced training for medical staff, while increasing monitoring and testing capabilities.
Earlier Nipah outbreaks were reported in West Bengal in 2001 and 2007, while recent cases have largely been detected in southern Kerala state. A major outbreak in 2018 killed at least 17 people in Kerala.
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Associated Press journalists across Asia contributed to this report.
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