Asia tightens travel checks after Nipah virus outbreak in India

Health authorities across Asia have begun screening air travellers arriving from India after five confirmed cases of the Nipah virus in the country’s eastern state of West Bengal.

Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan have moved quickly to introduce preventive measures amid growing concern over the virus’s high fatality rate and epidemic potential.

Thailand’s Department of Disease Control began temperature checks and symptom screening on 25 January at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket international airports.