Many Asian airports tightened quarantine due to Nipah virus

Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan (China) are among the countries and territories strengthening prevention measures after 5 cases of Nipah virus infection were confirmed in West Bengal state, India on January 25.

About 100 people are being quarantined after the virus was detected in a hospital in West Bengal. A doctor, a nurse and another staff member tested positive, following two initial cases in hospital colleagues.

Nipah is an RNA virus belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family, causing zoonotic disease, mainly transmitted from infected pigs and bats, and can be transmitted through close contact between people. The first outbreak in the community was discovered in Malaysia in 1999, causing 265 illnesses and 105 deaths. Since then, there have been one or two outbreaks every year. More than half of infected people die.

In Thailandthe Ministry of Public Health has increased health screening at major airports for passengers arriving from West Bengal, applying measures that were implemented during Covid-19. Passengers at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket airports are monitored for body temperature and virus-related symptoms, and are given medical alert cards with instructions on what to do if they develop illness.

Officials also stepped up hygiene and disease control preparations at Phuket International Airport as part of preventive measures. Indian airline IndiGo currently operates daily direct flights between Kolkata International Airport (West Bengal) and Phuket.

Faced with concerns, on January 26, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that the country has not recorded any Nipah infection cases, but the level of surveillance will still be maintained at a high level.

The Thai Department of Disease Control has been screening passengers from West Bengal at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports since January 25, amid the Nipah virus outbreak. Strict measures are being implemented and passengers are “cooperating very well” at checkpoints, the Thai government said.

According to local media, passengers entering the country with high fever or symptoms suspected of Nipah infection will be transferred to quarantine facilities for monitoring.

The Thai government has also ordered tightening screening at natural tourist areas and destinations across the country, amid concerns about the Nipah virus outbreak in India as well as calling on tourists to strictly adhere to the principle of “no hunting, gathering, or eating” in natural areas.

In Nepal, The government has raised the alert level and increased medical checks at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, as well as at key land border crossings bordering India, to prevent the virus from entering the country.

Medical control desks have been set up to screen passengers with symptoms, and hospitals and border quarantine points are required to report and handle suspected cases. Officials emphasized that the big challenge comes from open borders and daily traffic from West Bengal state.

Nepali Ministry of Health spokesman, Dr. Prakash Budhathoki, said necessary measures to prevent the spread of the virus have been fully implemented. The government has started individual screening of passengers entering through Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) as well as border gates bordering India.

“We are especially strengthening supervision at border gates in Koshi province. Medical checks have also been required for people entering through other border gates,” he said.

Meanwhile, Taiwan (China) is planning to classify Nipah virus infection in Group 5 – the highest group of infectious diseases with mandatory declaration under current law, for dangerous emerging diseases.

This policy is expected to go through a 60-day public comment period before taking effect. If passed, the new regulations force guests to report immediately and apply special control measures if cases appear. This move reflects concerns about the high mortality rate and risk of outbreaks of Nipah virus.

Taiwan’s Center for Disease Control (CDC) said the destination currently maintains a Level 2 (yellow) travel warning for the state of Kerala in southwestern India, advising visitors to increase vigilance. Lin Ming-cheng, representative of Taiwan CDC, said travel recommendations will be updated according to the evolution of the epidemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified Nipah virus as a priority pathogen, due to its high likelihood of causing a large-scale epidemic.