Airports across Asia are clamping down with harsh health checks, flashing back to the Covid-19 madness, as India battles a chilling Nipah virus scare. Nations like Thailand, Nepal, and Taiwan are on high alert, tightening cleanliness and screening to slam the door on this deadly bug crossing their borders.
Nipah Panic Grips India: Nurses in Critical Condition
Two nurses in Barasat, West Bengal are fighting for their lives after a mysterious death rocked the hospital in late December. One nurse is in a coma, the other’s condition remains critical.
Health chiefs are now hunting down nearly 200 people who might have been exposed, quarantining about 100 in hospital isolation. The scare has spread to Thai airports, where hundreds of Indian passengers are under the microscope.
Asian Airports Launch Strict Nipah Screenings
- Thailand’s airports – Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, and Phuket – have set up strict checkpoints targeting passengers from India.
- 332 travellers from Kolkata flights have been screened for Nipah symptoms like high fever.
- Anyone showing signs gets quarantined immediately and handed ‘Health Beware Cards’ urging swift medical help.
- Public spaces in Thailand, including parks and caves, face tighter controls. Officials warn against hunting or foraging to cut virus risks.
- Nepal is enforcing tough checks at Tribhuvan International Airport and border crossings, while hospitals alert authorities about suspicious cases.
- Taiwan aims to classify Nipah as a Category 5 notifiable disease — the highest level of alert.
What’s Nipah Virus? The Deadly Disease Explained
Nipah is a rare but lethal virus carried by fruit bats across South and Southeast Asia. It targets the brain and lungs, with symptoms that start like the flu — fever, body aches, vomiting.
“Nipah has no vaccine or cure, and death rates can soar to 75%. Survivors often face long-term brain damage,” experts warn.
The virus spreads through direct contact or by eating fruit tainted with bat saliva or urine. First discovered in Malaysia in 1998, it has already claimed over 100 lives and is deemed a serious epidemic risk by the World Health Organisation.
Officials Urge Calm Amid Nipah Rumours
Despite whispers of five cases, infectious disease expert Dr Sayan Chakraborty told ANI only two have been confirmed in West Bengal.
“The government has managed contact tracing, quarantining, and testing well. Panic is easing as the public follows health advice,” said Dr Chakraborty.
Thailand has reported no Nipah cases, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed, assuring the public of ongoing vigilance.
