Airports across parts of Asia have stepped up health surveillance after an outbreak of the Nipah virus in India’s West Bengal state, where five cases have been confirmed, officials said.
Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan have introduced heightened screening measures for travellers arriving from affected areas. In West Bengal, around 100 people have been quarantined after the virus was detected in a hospital, with several healthcare workers among those infected.
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has increased health checks at major airports including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket, monitoring passengers for fever and related symptoms. Travellers showing signs of illness may be transferred to quarantine facilities, authorities said. Nepal has also raised alert levels at Kathmandu’s international airport and key land border crossings with India.
Taiwan’s health authorities said they plan to classify Nipah virus infection as a high-risk notifiable disease, citing its high fatality rate and epidemic potential.
The World Health Organization lists Nipah as a priority pathogen. The virus, which can spread from animals to humans and through close contact, has caused outbreaks in several Asian countries in the past, with fatality rates ranging from 40% to 75%.
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