Deadly Nipah Virus Outbreak in West Bengal Triggers Airport Screening
Deadly Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal sparks airport screenings in Thailand and Nepal. Two healthcare workers infected; 196 contacts traced. Virus spreads from animals and close contact, with 40–75% mortality. No vaccine or treatment exists.
Ellofacts
An outbreak of the dangerous Nipah virus in West Bengal, India, has raised alarm across parts of Asia, prompting stricter screening at airports.
Thailand has begun checking passengers arriving from West Bengal at three major airports. Similarly, Nepal has started screening travelers at Kathmandu airport and other land border crossings with India.
Since December, two cases have been confirmed in West Bengal, reportedly among healthcare workers. Authorities have traced 196 people who had contact with them, and all have tested negative so far, according to India’s health ministry.
The Nipah virus can spread from animals, such as fruit bats and pigs, to humans, and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or close contact with infected individuals. It is highly lethal, with death rates between 40% and 75%, and there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.
Symptoms and risks
The virus has an incubation period of 4 to 14 days. People infected may experience a range of symptoms—or none at all. Early signs can include fever, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, and sore throat. In severe cases, symptoms can progress to drowsiness, confusion, pneumonia, and sometimes encephalitis, a potentially fatal brain inflammation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed Nipah among its top ten priority diseases, alongside pathogens like Covid-19 and Zika, due to its potential to cause epidemics.
