Several airports across Asia began tightening health screening measures on Monday following the outbreak of the Nipah virus in an Indian state, according to The Independent.
Nipah is a zoonotic virus that is primarily transmitted to humans from infected pigs and bats, but it can also spread through close human-to-human contact.
Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan are among the countries and territories that have stepped up precautionary measures after five confirmed cases were reported in India’s West Bengal state.
In West Bengal, around 100 people have been placed under quarantine after the virus was detected in a hospital, where a doctor, a nurse and another staff member tested positive, following the confirmation of two earlier cases involving nurses from the same area.
