Two confirmed cases of the deadly Nipah virus in India have prompted Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia to tighten airport screening to prevent potential cross-border spread.
Nipah, carried by fruit bats and animals such as pigs, can cause fever and brain inflammation and has a fatality rate ranging from 40% to 75%. While the virus can spread between people, transmission is difficult and usually requires prolonged close contact. Human infections more commonly occur through exposure to infected bats or fruit contaminated by them. The latest cases were confirmed in India in late December. Health experts said small outbreaks are not uncommon and the overall risk to the public remains low, with vaccines still under development.
Efstathios Giotis, a molecular virology lecturer at the University of Essex, said vigilance is necessary but there is currently no evidence of a wider public health threat.
Both patients in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal are healthcare workers and are being treated in hospital, a district health official told Reuters. Authorities have traced 196 contacts linked to the cases, with all testing negative and showing no symptoms, according to India’s health ministry, which said enhanced surveillance and field investigations helped contain the infections and dismissed inaccurate reports circulating online.
The cases have put neighbouring countries on alert, including several Southeast Asian nations, Nepal and Hong Kong.
Singapore’s Communicable Diseases Agency said it will introduce temperature screening at its airport for flights arriving from affected areas in India and is coordinating with regional counterparts to monitor developments and strengthen genomic reporting. Hong Kong airport authorities said additional health screening, including temperature checks for passengers arriving from India, is being implemented.
Thailand has tightened airport controls, assigning designated parking bays for aircraft arriving from affected areas and requiring passengers to complete health declarations before immigration clearance. Malaysia said it is strengthening health screening at international entry points, especially for travellers from higher-risk countries. China reported no detected cases but warned of the risk of imported infections, while Nepal said it has moved to high alert and stepped up border screening.
Nipah was first identified more than 25 years ago during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore, although scientists believe it has long circulated in fruit bats. The World Health Organization classifies Nipah as a priority pathogen due to the absence of approved vaccines or treatments, its high fatality rate and the risk of mutation. India has reported sporadic cases in recent years, particularly in Kerala, while Bangladesh also records regular infections. As of December 2025, there have been about 750 confirmed cases globally, resulting in 415 deaths, according to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. The West Bengal cases mark the state’s first infections in nearly two decades.
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