India Outbreak Prompts Nipah Virus Screening at Asian Airports

Airports across Asia have intensified health screenings following a Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal, India, as medical experts in the UAE urge travellers to stay vigilant. The virus, which can be fatal and attacks the brain, lungs, and nervous system, is transmitted from animals to humans or through contaminated food, and has a case fatality rate estimated between 40 and 75 percent, according to the World Health Organization.

Despite the serious nature of the disease, experts stress that the risk for most travellers remains low. Dr Sagar Kawale, a consultant neurologist at Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital in Dubai, said the virus is rare and usually localised, unlike influenza or Covid-19. “For most travellers, the overall risk remains low unless there has been close exposure to an infected individual or time spent in a high-risk environment such as a healthcare setting,” he said.

The outbreak has seen about 100 people quarantined, including three nurses at a private hospital in Barasat near Kolkata. Authorities are continuing contact tracing and quarantine measures. Early symptoms of Nipah include fever, headache, and body aches, while neurological signs such as confusion, seizures, unusual behaviour, or reduced consciousness should be treated as a medical emergency.

Travellers are advised to avoid close contact with unwell individuals, maintain strict hand hygiene, avoid potentially contaminated fruits, and exercise extra caution when visiting hospitals in affected areas. Prompt medical attention is recommended if fever is accompanied by neurological symptoms, with full disclosure of recent travel history to healthcare providers.

While the outbreak is a cause for caution, Dr Kawale reassures that most travellers will never encounter the virus. Awareness and early action are key to preventing severe outcomes.