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Asian airports step up health screening on India Nipah virus scare
Samira Vishwas | January 27, 2026 9:26 PM CST

The measures come as Indian authorities race to contain a Nipah virus cluster in the state where five cases have been confirmed in areas near Kolkata, including infections among healthcare workers, China’s Global Times reported.

Around 100 people have been quarantined after the virus was detected at a hospital.

A doctor, a nurse and a staff member tested positive following the first two confirmed cases, a male patient and a female nurse, the U.K.’s The Independent reported.

In Thailand, officers at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in Bangkok and Phuket airport have begun enhanced screening of inbound passengers, particularly from West Bengal since Sunday, according to the Bangkok Post.

Measures include temperature checks and on-site assessments of passengers showing signs of illness.

Those found to have a high fever or symptoms suggestive of Nipah will be transferred to quarantine facilities. Those who develop symptoms within 21 days of arrival have been advised to seek medical attention immediately and inform healthcare providers of their travel history and the date of onset of symptoms.

Addressing public concerns on Monday, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said no Nipah cases had been found in the country, but surveillance levels would remain high.

In Nepal, the government has raised alert levels and intensified health checks at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and at key land border crossings with India, The Himalayan Times reported.

Health desks have been set up to screen travelers for symptoms, and hospitals and border health posts have been instructed to report and manage suspected cases.

In Taiwan, health authorities are planning to list Nipah virus infection as a Category 5 notifiable disease, the highest classification for serious emerging infections, Focus Taiwan reported.

The move would require immediate reporting and special control measures if cases occur, reflecting concerns over the virus’s high fatality rate and epidemic potential.

Nipah is a zoonotic virus that spreads from animals to humans and, in some cases, between humans, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO says Nipah can range from mild illness to acute respiratory infection and fatal encephalitis, and has a fatality rate of 40-75% depending on the outbreak and health-system capacity.


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