Government AffairsIndia says it has the virus under control, but Southeast Asia remains on alert.

Nipah virus: What you should know

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Thai health authorities screen arriving air passengers.
Thai health authorities screen arriving air passengers. Photo Credit: iStock/Gumpanat

India says it has the deadly Nipah virus under control although health authorities in other parts of Asia continue to remain vigilant at airports.

Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, Hong Kong and Malaysia are among countries who have stepped up health checks on travellers arriving from regions in South Asia where the virus has been detected in a small number of people.

Nipah, a zoonotic virus spreads through fruit bats, pigs and human-to-human contact. There is no vaccine for the virus, which can cause fevers and vomiting.

India’s Health Ministry said that two Nipah cases had been detected since December and that all identified contacts had been quarantined and tested.

The virus has an estimated fatality rate of between 40% and 75%, making it far more deadly than the coronavirus.

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