Should China be concerned about Nipah virus outbreak in India?

Reports of Nipah virus cases in India have triggered anxiety in China ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. Multiple cases of the incurable virus have been detected in West Bengal, leading to screening measures at airports across Asia.

Nipah virus (NiV) can be fatal. However, experts say the risk of transmission remains low.

We take a look.

What is the Nipah virus?

The Nipah virus is transmitted from animals to humans when they come in contact with the bodily fluids of infected bats and pigs. The virus can also spread through contaminated food or directly between humans, as per the World Health Organization (WHO).

People who contract the virus exhibit a wide range of symptoms, or even none at all.

The initial symptoms that infected humans show are fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat. “This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs that indicate acute encephalitis,” according to the WHO.

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Encephalitis causes inflammation of the brain, which may occur in severe cases.

“Some people can also experience atypical pneumonia and severe respiratory problems, including acute respiratory distress,” as per the WHO.

The Nipah virus has a high fatality rate of 40 per cent to 75 per cent. Currently, there is no cure or vaccine for the infection.

The Nipah virus was first identified in 1998 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia. The disease spread to Singapore the next year.

More than 100 people in Bangladesh have died because of Nipah since 2001.

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Follow these essential precautions to prevent Nipah Virus infection. Stay alert, stay informed, and follow advisories issued by local health authorities.#NipahVirus #PublicHealth #HealthForAll pic.twitter.com/itTuZA18ev

— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) January 22, 2026

The virus has also been detected in India, with outbreaks reported in West Bengal in 2001 and 2007.

Kerala saw its first outbreak of the brain-damaging Nipah virus in 2018 when 19 cases were reported. Of these, 17 were fatal. In 2023, two out of six confirmed cases had died.

Latest Nipah outbreak in India

Five healthcare workers in West Bengal are reported to have been infected with the Nipah virus. The cases were found at a private hospital in Barasat in the North 24 Parganas district earlier this month.

Two nurses are being treated in an intensive coronary care unit, one of whom remains in “very critical” condition. About 110 people who were in contact with the infected healthcare workers have been quarantined, as per BBC.

Following the cases, a survey conducted on bats in West Bengal did not find any active Nipah virus infection. But antibodies were detected in one specimen, indicating prior exposure, a senior state forest department official said last week.

“The findings are reassuring, but caution is warranted. Surveillance and preventive measures will continue until we are fully assured that there is no risk,” a senior official of the West Bengal Health Department told PTI.

Why China is worried of Nipah outbreak

The resurgence of the Nipah virus cases in West Bengal has raised concerns in China ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, when millions travel.

As per a South China Morning Post (SCMP) report, topics related to the virus outbreak in India trended on China’s social media platforms on Monday (January 26).

“It’s so scary, especially with the Spring Festival coming up. I don’t want to experience another lockdown,” an online user said, referring to the Lunar New Year holiday.

Another asked, “Can’t we temporarily shut the travel channel with India?”

India and China eased visa processes for each other’s nationals last month, with an aim to boost travel.

China is concerned about the health threat as it comes before the Lunar New Year, which witnesses a huge travel rush or chunyun. This year, the 40-day travel season will begin on February 2 and run until March 13.

China has added Nipah to its monitored infectious disease list following the outbreak in India, Yicai China reported.

China’s Frontier Health and Quarantine Law, which was enforced last year, listed the Nipah virus as one of the country’s targeted pathogens.

In a recent report, China’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention called for “heightened vigilance” against imported infectious diseases during the travel season, warning that illnesses such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and Lassa fever could be contracted by travellers returning from overseas. Nipah, however, was not specifically mentioned.

However, health experts have dismissed the concerns of an outbreak in China from imported infections.

According to Zhao Haiyan, a Wuhan University virologist who studies highly pathogenic viruses, including Nipah, some neighbouring countries have reported sporadic outbreaks nearly every year since the virus emerged in 1998, while China has not recorded any imported cases.

Zhao said this did not indicate that there was no risk, but the Nipah virus had “relatively limited transmission pathways compared with highly transmissible respiratory pathogens” such as influenza or Sars-CoV-2, responsible for the coronavirus pandemic.

Zhao said that human-to-human transmission could occur required close contact with bodily fluids from infected patients or exposure to high viral loads, allowing the virus to enter through mucosal surfaces. Thus, the possibility of a Nipah outbreak in China was believed to be low under current conditions, she said.

Speaking to The National, Dr Sagar Kawale, a consultant neurologist at Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital in Dubai, said those wanting to travel to India should not be overly worried.

“For most travellers, the overall risk remains low unless there has been close exposure to an infected individual or time spent in a high-risk environment such as a healthcare setting,” said Dr Kawale.

“Nipah is a rare infection and, even when cases do appear, they are typically limited and localised rather than widespread like influenza or Covid-19. The key message is that while it is rare for tourists, it is taken seriously because of the potential severity of the illness.”

Dr Kawale advised travellers to avoid close contact with people showing symptoms of fever and cough.

“Travellers should reduce exposure by avoiding close contact with individuals who are unwell, particularly those with fever and cough, maintaining consistent hand hygiene, and avoiding fruits that may be contaminated, such as half-eaten, fallen or uncovered street-cut fruit,” he said.

“Exercise extra caution in outbreak areas by not visiting hospitals unless necessary; for healthcare travellers, using masks, gloves and strict contact precautions is important. Third, if illness develops, avoid continuing travel or mixing in crowds, seek medical attention early, and clearly inform the doctor about recent travel and concerns regarding possible Nipah exposure so appropriate isolation precautions can be taken promptly.”

Asia on alert

The Nipah virus has sparked concerns across Asia, with several countries taking preventive measures.

Thailand has started screening passengers at three international airports in Bangkok and Phuket that receive flights from West Bengal, reported BBC. Passengers from these flights have been told to make health declarations.

The parks and wildlife department in Thailand has also imposed heightened screenings in natural tourist attractions.

Jurai Wongswasdi, a spokeswoman for the Department for Disease Control, told BBC Thai authorities are “fairly confident” about protecting against an outbreak in Thailand.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Sunday, “Public health screening systems have been adjusted based on the model that we used during the Covid-19 outbreak in Thailand.”

Nepal has also started screening arrivals at Kathmandu airport and other land border points with India.

Health authorities in Taiwan have proposed to list the Nipah virus as a “Category 5 disease”, designated for emerging or rare infections with major public health risks that need immediate reporting and special control measures.

South Korea had already classified Nipah as a top-tier infectious disease that requires immediate reporting and isolation, reported The Korea Herald. 

Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection said that it would “monitor the situation and implement appropriate prevention and control measures based on risk assessments to safeguard public health and the well-being of citizens”.

With inputs from agencies