The Nipah virus is causing concern in parts of Asia after a small outbreak in West Bengal, India. Airports in Thailand, Nepal, Taiwan, and Kathmandu have begun screening travelers as a precaution. Since December, two cases—reportedly among health workers—have been confirmed, and 196 contacts have tested negative, according to Indian authorities.
Nipah spreads from animals such as fruit bats and pigs to humans and has a high fatality rate of 40–75%, with no vaccine or specific treatment available. Symptoms appear within 4 days to 2 weeks and can range from fever and headaches to severe conditions like pneumonia and encephalitis.
The World Health Organization lists Nipah as a priority disease due to its epidemic potential. In South Asia, infections are often linked to drinking raw date palm sap contaminated by bats. While bat-to-human cases can have fatality rates as high as 90%, human-to-human transmission is lower at 40–50%.
Despite its severity, experts say a global pandemic is unlikely. Dr. Emily Gurley of Johns Hopkins University and the WHO Nipah Virus Taskforce explained that the virus is not highly transmissible, with each infected person passing it to an average of only 0.3 others. She noted that while monitoring is important, current patterns are consistent with past outbreaks and not unusual.
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