The current outbreak was first reported among 5 health workers in West Bengal. (Image: Reuters)
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News1827-01-2026, 12:44

Nipah Outbreak: Asian Airports Boost Screening; China Urges Vigilance Amid High Fatality Rate

  • Asian airports, including Thailand, Nepal, and Taiwan, have intensified health screenings due to Nipah virus cases in India.
  • China's CDC has called for heightened vigilance against imported diseases during the Lunar New Year travel season (chunyun).
  • Five confirmed Nipah cases among health workers in West Bengal have been reported, with 100-200 contacts being traced.
  • Dr. Narendra Kumar Arora highlighted Nipah's 40-75% mortality rate and the lack of a vaccine, though monoclonal antibodies are being sourced.
  • Nipah is a zoonotic disease, transmissible from animals to humans and human-to-human, causing severe respiratory illness or encephalitis.

Why It Matters: Nipah virus outbreak in India prompts Asian airports to increase screening and China to urge vigilance due to its high fatality rate.

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