NEW DELHI: India has emerged as a potential centre of a global health concern following the spread of the Nipah virus, prompting several countries to step up precautionary measures for travellers arriving from India.
As reports of Nipah virus cases surfaced in the Indian state of West Bengal, international health agencies and neighboring countries were placed on high alert. Airports in Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam have begun screening passengers arriving from India as a precautionary step.
Health experts have expressed concern over the lack of effective preventive measures within India, warning that inadequate containment efforts could pose risks beyond its borders.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this is the seventh outbreak of the Nipah virus in India over the past 25 years. Despite repeated outbreaks, global health experts say preparedness and response mechanisms remain insufficient.
The WHO has clarified that no Nipah cases have been reported outside India so far. However, the condition of a woman infected with the virus in West Bengal is said to be critical.
India’s first recorded Nipah virus case emerged in 2001 in the city of Siliguri. Since then, the virus has resurfaced multiple times. Medical experts warn that failure to take timely and effective measures could allow the virus to escalate into a wider global health emergency.