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India Confirms Two Nipah Virus Cases; Asian Countries Step Up Airport Screening

Asian airports reintroduce Covid-style checks after virus outbreak in India. Thailand's Department of Disease Control screens travelers from West Bengal, India, at Suvarnabhumi & Don Mueang airports. (Thai Government)

By Mark Young

January 30, 2026
7:13 am
Los Angeles, CA

India is moving to contain two confirmed Nipah virus cases in West Bengal after nearly 200 contacts were quarantined. Both patients are health workers: the male patient is recovering and likely to be discharged soon, while the female patient remains in critical condition, officials said. Indian authorities have reassured the public that there is no outbreak and no spread beyond the two cases. “There is no consideration for airport screening in India because there appears to be no need for it,” a federal health ministry official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. Despite this, several Asian countries, including Pakistan and Vietnam, have introduced Covid-style airport screening for travellers arriving from India. Measures include temperature checks, health assessments, and 21-day travel histories to determine exposure to high-risk areas. What

Indian authorities have reassured the public that there is no outbreak and no spread beyond the two cases. “There is no consideration for airport screening in India because there appears to be no need for it,” a federal health ministry official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Despite this, several Asian countries, including Pakistan and Vietnam, have introduced Covid-style airport screening for travellers arriving from India. Measures include temperature checks, health assessments, and 21-day travel histories to determine exposure to high-risk areas.

What is Nipah Virus?

Nipah is a rare but deadly virus transmitted primarily from fruit bats to humans. Human-to-human transmission can occur through close contact with bodily fluids. The disease has a high fatality rate, ranging from 40% to 75%, and there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment, according to the WHO.

Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and in severe cases, encephalitis — inflammation of the brain that can lead to seizures, coma, and death. Survivors may face long-term neurological complications, and rare cases of relapse have been reported.

Symptoms and Disease Progression

Nipah virus infection often begins with non-specific symptoms, making early diagnosis difficult. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the incubation period generally ranges from four to 21 days, though longer delays have been reported in rare cases.

Patients typically develop a sudden flu-like illness marked by fever, headache, muscle pain and fatigue. Some also experience respiratory symptoms, including cough, shortness of breath or pneumonia.

The most serious complication is encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. Neurological symptoms such as confusion, altered consciousness, seizures and coma usually appear days to weeks after the initial illness and significantly increase the risk of death.

Survivors may suffer long-term neurological effects, including persistent seizures, cognitive impairment or personality changes, according to the UK Health Security Agency. In rare cases, encephalitis has been reported to recur months or even years after the initial infection due to relapse or reactivation of the virus.

Background and Past Outbreaks

Nipah virus was first identified in 1999 in Malaysia and Singapore among pig farmers. Since then, outbreaks have been reported in Bangladesh and India, with Kerala considered a high-risk region. Global cases as of December 2025 total around 750 infections and 415 deaths, according to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which is funding vaccine research.

Authorities have urged the public to remain calm, follow hygiene precautions, and avoid unprotected contact with sick individuals or animals.