Asian Nations Reinstate Pandemic Protocols as Nipah Virus Emerges in India
Multiple Asian nations have swiftly reinstated Covid-style health surveillance measures at international airports following confirmation of a deadly Nipah virus outbreak in India's West Bengal state. Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan have all implemented enhanced screening protocols for travellers arriving from affected regions, marking a significant return to pandemic-era health precautions.
Thailand's Comprehensive Airport Response
Thai authorities have activated comprehensive health screening measures at three major international airports: Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket. The Ministry of Public Health confirmed that passengers arriving from West Bengal are undergoing temperature checks and symptom monitoring, with health advisory cards being distributed to guide travellers who might develop illness.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul addressed public concerns on Monday, stating that while no domestic Nipah cases have been recorded, surveillance levels would remain elevated. "Thailand's Department of Disease Control screens travellers from West Bengal, India at Suvarnabhumi & Don Mueang airports starting 25 January amid Nipah virus outbreak," confirmed the Thai government in an official statement.
Enhanced cleaning protocols and disease-control preparedness have been implemented at Phuket International Airport, which receives daily direct flights from Kolkata via Indian carrier Indigo. Symptomatic travellers face immediate transfer to quarantine facilities according to local media reports.
Nepal's Border Surveillance Intensification
Nepalese authorities have significantly heightened health checks at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and key land border crossings with India. Health desks have been established to screen arriving travellers, with hospitals and border health points instructed to report and manage any suspicious cases.
Dr Prakash Budhathoki, spokesperson for Nepal's Ministry of Health, confirmed that individual passenger screening has commenced at all major entry points. "We have specifically intensified surveillance at border points in Koshi Province," he stated, highlighting the challenges posed by open borders and daily movement from neighbouring West Bengal.
Taiwan's Regulatory Response
Taiwanese health authorities are taking legislative action by planning to classify Nipah virus infection as a Category 5 notifiable disease - the highest classification for serious emerging infections under local law. This designation, subject to a 60-day public comment period, would mandate immediate reporting and special control measures should cases occur.
Taiwan's Centres for Disease Control maintains a Level 2 "yellow" travel alert for Kerala state in southwestern India, with deputy director-general Lin Ming-cheng Lin confirming that travel advisories will be updated as the outbreak evolves.
Understanding the Nipah Threat
The World Health Organisation has designated Nipah virus as a priority pathogen due to its epidemic potential. This zoonotic disease primarily spreads to humans from infected pigs and bats, but can also transmit through close person-to-person contact.
Initial infection symptoms typically include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat, potentially progressing to more severe manifestations such as dizziness, altered consciousness, severe atypical pneumonia and respiratory distress. In extreme cases, Nipah can cause fatal encephalitis - inflammation of the brain.
Historical outbreaks have demonstrated alarming fatality rates between 40 and 75 percent, with Bangladesh recording 341 cases and 241 deaths according to the International Society for Infectious Disease. The virus has previously been documented in multiple Asian nations including Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.
In West Bengal, approximately 100 people are currently quarantined after the virus was detected in a hospital setting, with confirmed cases including medical staff alongside the initial two nurses from the same district.
