Two confirmed cases of the Nipah virus in India have prompted health authorities in Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia to enhance airport screening procedures to mitigate the risk of further transmission. The Nipah virus, which is primarily carried by fruit bats and animals such as pigs, can cause fever and encephalitis, with a case fatality rate ranging from 40% to 75%. Human-to-human transmission is possible but typically occurs only after sustained contact with an infected individual; most infections arise through exposure to contaminated fruit or contact with infected bats.
The recent infections were confirmed in late December in India. According to virologists, localized outbreaks occur periodically, and the current risk to the broader population remains low. Several vaccines are currently undergoing development and testing. Efstathios Giotis, Lecturer in Molecular Virology at the University of Essex, stated, “While vigilance is warranted, there is no evidence to suggest a broader public health threat at this stage.”
Health workers in West Bengal were identified as the two patients infected in late December; both are receiving treatment in hospital. Indian health officials reported that 196 contacts linked to these cases had been traced, with none exhibiting symptoms or testing positive for the virus. The Ministry of Health clarified that some inaccurate figures regarding Nipah infections had circulated, but comprehensive surveillance, laboratory testing, and field investigations enabled timely containment.
As a precautionary measure, neighbouring Southeast Asian nations, as well as Nepal and Hong Kong, implemented heightened alert protocols. Singapore’s Communicable Diseases Agency announced temperature screening for inbound flights from affected areas and outreach efforts to South Asian counterparts to monitor the situation, including work on a global genome reporting platform. Hong Kong’s airport authority indicated enhanced screening measures, including temperature checks for passengers arriving from India. Thailand introduced designated parking bays for aircraft arriving from regions with Nipah cases, requiring health declarations from all passengers prior to immigration clearance. Malaysia increased screening at international entry points, focusing on arrivals from high-risk countries. China’s disease control authority stated that no Nipah cases had been detected domestically, though it acknowledged the potential risk of imported cases, as reported by CCTV. Nepal also reported increased traveller screening and heightened alertness along its border with India.
Nipah virus was first identified over 25 years ago during outbreaks among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore, though research suggests its circulation among flying foxes or fruit bats spans thousands of years. The World Health Organization designates Nipah as a priority pathogen due to the absence of licensed vaccines or treatments, its high mortality rate, and concerns regarding possible mutation leading to increased transmissibility.
India continues to report sporadic Nipah cases, especially in the southern state of Kerala, recognized as one of the world’s highest-risk areas for the virus. Since its emergence in Kerala in 2018, Nipah has been associated with multiple fatalities, and Bangladesh also reports regular cases. Globally, there have been 750 confirmed Nipah infections and 415 deaths as of December 2025, according to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which is supporting vaccine trials for Nipah prevention. The recent West Bengal cases are the first recorded in the state since 2007, when five fatal cases occurred, local media noted.
