Nipah Virus Scare: Asia Tightens Airport Scans

Two Nipah virus infections recently surfaced in West Bengal, India, triggering increased airport screening across several Asian countries. Locations like Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam have implemented tighter checks to prevent potential transmission.

The World Health Organization has assessed the risk of further Nipah virus spread from these cases as low. They also noted that India possesses the capacity to manage such outbreaks effectively.

Currently, there is no indication of increased human-to-human transmission of the Nipah virus. The two affected health workers in West Bengal are undergoing hospital treatment.

India frequently records sporadic Nipah virus cases, with Kerala being a high-risk region since the virus first appeared there in 2018, causing numerous fatalities.

This marks the seventh documented Nipah outbreak in India and the third in West Bengal. Previous outbreaks in West Bengal occurred in districts bordering Bangladesh, which experiences Nipah outbreaks almost annually.

The exact source of this particular infection remains under investigation. The WHO classifies Nipah as a priority pathogen due to the absence of licensed vaccines or treatments and its high fatality rate, coupled with fears of it mutating into a more transmissible form.

Nipah virus typically spreads to humans from infected bats or contaminated fruit, though person-to-person transmission is rare and usually requires prolonged close contact with an infected individual. Virologists state that small outbreaks are not uncommon and the risk to the general population remains minimal.