Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The virus has a mortality rate of between 40 and 75%, according to the WHO.
Remember the nightmarish times of Covid? First, we couldn’t fly anywhere, because the entire world basically closed down, and when air travel was reopened, it was with anti-Covid-measures galore, including testing, social distancing in airport, wearing a face mask during flights and so on.
We all wish for this to never happen again, but if you are going abroad anytime soon, you might risk stepping into a time machine, taking you back to those times.
An outbreak of Nipah virus in Eastern India is now promptin airports across Asia to increase screening measures resembling the ones, we saw during the Covid pandemic, The Strait Times, Economic Times, Metro UK, the BBC and Thai Examiner reports.
Airport measures expand
Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan have increased monitoring of travellers arriving from India.
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health introduced enhanced screening at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket airports, focusing on passengers from West Bengal. Travellers are checked for fever and issued health “beware” cards with guidance if symptoms appear.
Cleaning and disease-control measures were also stepped up at Phuket International Airport, which has a daily direct flight from Kolkata. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said no domestic cases had been found but surveillance would remain high.
Borders and risks
Nepal raised alert levels at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport and major land crossings with India. Health desks were set up, and hospitals were told to report symptoms immediately, officials said, citing challenges from frequent cross-border travel.
Taiwan is maintaining a Level 2 travel alert for parts of India. Nipah infections can cause fever, headaches, respiratory illness and brain inflammation, with fatality rates of 40% to 75% in past outbreaks, according to the WHO.
Quarantine in effect
Indian authorities confirmed five Nipah cases in West Bengal, where about 100 people were quarantined after the virus was detected in a hospital.
Health officials said a doctor, a nurse and another staff member tested positive after two initial cases involving a male and female nurse from the same district.
Nipah is a zoonotic virus that can spread from animals such as bats and pigs to humans and, in some cases, between people through close contact.
The developments raised concern over possible person-to-person transmission in a clinical setting. The World Health Organisation lists Nipah as a priority pathogen because of its epidemic potential.
Sources: Economic Times, The Strait Times, Metro UK, BBC, Thai Examiner, WHO
