Asian Airports Reinstate Health Screenings as Deadly Nipah Virus Spreads from India

2026-01-26 region

New Delhi, 26 January 2026
Five confirmed Nipah virus cases in West Bengal, India have triggered COVID-style health screenings across Asian airports, with Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan implementing emergency protocols. The brain-infecting virus, with fatality rates between 40-75%, has no cure or vaccine. Nearly 100 people remain quarantined after healthcare workers contracted the disease at a Kolkata hospital, prompting regional fears of cross-border transmission reminiscent of early pandemic responses.

Hospital Outbreak Triggers Regional Emergency Response

The outbreak originated at Narayana Multispeciality Hospital in Barasat, West Bengal, where two nurses who worked together from 28 December 2025 to 30 December 2025 developed symptoms between 31 December 2025 and 2 January 2026 [4]. Both were admitted to intensive care on 4 January 2026, with one nurse now in a coma [4]. The case count has since risen to five confirmed infections as of 23 January 2026, including a doctor, nurse, and health worker all linked to the same private hospital [5]. Initial investigations suggest the healthcare workers contracted the virus from a patient with severe respiratory symptoms who died before Nipah testing could be completed [4]. As of 20 January 2026, 180 people in the region had been tested for Nipah, with all tests returning negative, whilst 20 high-risk contacts remain quarantined for a 21-day isolation period [4][6].

Thailand Implements Immediate Airport Screening Protocols

Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health increased health screenings at major airports including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, and Phuket starting 25 January 2026, specifically monitoring passengers from West Bengal for fever and symptoms whilst issuing health ‘beware’ cards [1]. Officials have increased cleaning and disease-control preparedness at Phuket International Airport, where Indigo operates a daily direct flight between Kolkata and Phuket [1]. On 26 January 2026, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed that no domestic Nipah cases had been recorded but stated surveillance would remain high [1]. Thailand’s Department of Disease Control screens travellers from West Bengal at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, with passengers showing excellent cooperation at checkpoints [1]. Travellers arriving in Thailand with fever or Nipah symptoms will be transferred to quarantine, whilst stricter screenings have been ordered for cave areas and natural tourist attractions [1].

Nepal and Taiwan Strengthen Border Controls

Nepal has raised alert levels and intensified health checks at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and key land border crossings with India, with health desks screening travellers for symptoms [1]. Officials have specifically intensified surveillance at border points in Koshi Province, with health checks ordered for people entering Nepal through other border crossings [1]. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control released a proposed change to its measures on controlling infectious diseases on 16 January 2026, which would list Nipah virus infection as a Category 5 notifiable disease [3]. The measure must undergo a 60-day period for public comment before taking effect [3]. As a Category 5 disease under Taiwan’s system, the virus would be classified as an emerging or rare infection with major public health risks, requiring immediate reporting and special control measures [3].

Understanding the Nipah Virus Threat

The World Health Organization has described the Nipah virus as a priority pathogen, with fatality levels reported between 40 and 75 per cent [1]. Bangladesh has recorded 341 cases and 241 deaths since the virus was first identified [1]. Globally, more than 750 cases have been reported since the virus was first identified in 1998, with a fatality rate of about 58 per cent [3]. The virus is a zoonotic disease that spreads between animals, mostly fruit bats and pigs, and people, causing symptoms from fevers to brain infection and death [2]. There is no vaccine or cure for Nipah virus, with treatment focusing on managing symptoms [4]. The incubation period is 4-14 days, with symptoms including fever, headaches, and muscle soreness, potentially leading to encephalitis [4]. Officials are currently testing bats at Kolkata’s Alipore Zoo, with researchers from India’s National Institute of Medical Research collecting samples over two days as of 24 January 2026 [4].

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