Nipah virus: What travellers need to know

UK health officials have warned travellers of the outbreak of a “serious infectious disease” in India.

On 13 January, two confirmed cases of Nipah virus were reported in healthcare workers in Kolkata.

The zoonotic virus – primarily spread by fruit bats – can infect humans through direct contact with bats or by consuming contaminated food.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nipah virus can be asymptomatic with a case fatality rate of 40 to 75 per cent.

The outbreak in India has sparked travel concern across Asia, with countries including Thailand and Pakistan introducing new Covid-style screenings at airports receiving flights from the region.

Here’s everything holidaymakers need to know to stay safe from Nipah virus while travelling.

Read more: WHO provides promising update on India’s deadly Nipah virus outbreak

Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus, usually transmitted from animals such as fruit bats to humans or through contaminated food.

It was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore.

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has not updated specific travel advice for India since the Nipah virus outbreak.

Generally, travellers are warned not to go within 10km (six miles) of the India-Pakistan border or to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Outbreaks of the Nipah virus in humans tend to be identified in rural parts of South and Southeast Asia.

This is the ninth Nipah virus outbreak in India since the first cases were reported in 2001.

Aside from the current outbreak in West Bengal, India has experienced yearly outbreaks in Kerala since 2019, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Since 2001, outbreaks have also been reported almost annually in Bangladesh.

Elsewhere, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore have all previously reported Nipah cases.

No cases of Nipah virus have ever been recorded in the UK.

The Nipah virus infection can be asymptomatic in some people, with an incubation period of four to 21 days.

People infected by the virus can develop a fever and symptoms such as headache or confusion, difficulty breathing or a cough.

Other frequent symptoms include chills, fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness, vomiting and diarrhoea, said WHO.

In severe cases, an inflammation of the brain, known as encephalitis and meningitis, can develop in patients.

There is currently no vaccine or medication available to prevent or treat Nipah virus disease.

On 27 January, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India confirmed that all 196 contacts of the two confirmed cases of Nipah virus disease in West Bengal have tested negative.

However, for travellers heading to or departing from India, screening measures have been introduced at some international airports. Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan all intensified health surveillance and travel screening this week.

According to UKHSA, the risk of Nipah virus disease for tourists visiting endemic countries is “very low” if precautions, including good hand hygiene, are followed.

UKHSA said: “While the risk to most people remains very low, understanding this virus is important if you are planning to travel to one of the areas where it circulates.”

Public health advice focuses on reducing contact with the virus, whether from bats, animals or infected people.

Thoroughly washing or peeling fruits can reduce the risk of contracting the virus and contact with infected animals including on pig farms with fruit bats nearby, should be made only in protective clothing.

Travellers are also told not to consume raw or partially fermented date palm sap – if consuming date palm juice, ensure it has been boiled first.

Read more: What is Nipah virus? Symptoms to watch out for as India races to contain deadly outbreak