Indian authorities provide Nipah virus update as number of people in quarantine doubles

India said on Tuesday there were only two confirmed cases of the Nipah virus recorded in the eastern state of West Bengal even as authorities in some Asian countries ramped up surveillance, especially at airports.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said official data showed no additional cases had been detected beyond the two confirmed infections reported since December last year. The ministry did not release details about the patients.

It said a total of 196 people were identified as contacts of the infected patients and were traced, monitored and tested. All were found to be asymptomatic and tested negative for the virus, it said in a statement.

Initial reports suggested there were five cases in total in the state, nearly 100 people had been asked to quarantine at home, and infected patients were being treated in hospitals in and around the capital, Kolkata.

Nipah is a deadly virus with no vaccine or cure and is considered a high-risk pathogen by the World Health Organization. Experts say human infections are rare and usually occur when the virus spills over from bats, often through contaminated fruit.

The ministry said enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing and field investigations were carried out jointly by central and state health agencies, helping to prevent further spread of the disease.

Officials said the situation continues to be closely monitored and that all necessary public health measures remain in place.

Meanwhile, airports across parts of Asia have reintroduced Covid-era health screening measures after the news of the Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal. Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan have tightened airport and border surveillance to prevent the virus from spreading through travellers.

Thailand has stepped up checks at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket airports, monitoring arrivals from West Bengal for fever and symptoms, issuing health advisory cards, and preparing quarantine facilities for suspected cases. Authorities say no Nipah cases have been detected domestically.

Myanmar’s Health Ministry advised against nonessential travel to West Bengal and urged travelers to seek immediate medical care if symptoms develop within 14 days of travel. It said fever surveillance introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic at airports has been intensified for passengers arriving from India, with laboratory testing capacity and medical supplies readied.

Nepal has also intensified screening at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport and at land border crossings with India, and instructed health facilities to report and manage suspected cases amid concerns over cross-border movement.

Taiwan plans to classify Nipah as a “Category 5” notifiable disease, its highest alert level for emerging infections, which would require immediate reporting and special control measures. Health authorities across the region say precautions will stay in place as the situation in India continues to be monitored.

Earlier Nipah outbreaks were reported in West Bengal in 2001 and 2007, while recent cases have largely been detected in southern Kerala state. A major outbreak in 2018 killed at least 17 people in Kerala.