Thailand monitors tourists from India following Nipah virus outbreak

Officers at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket airports have begun enhanced screening of inbound passengers, particularly those arriving from West Bengal since Sunday, Bangkok Post reported.

The procedures include temperature checks and on-site assessments of passengers showing signs of illness.

Travelers found to have high fever or symptoms that may indicate Nipah infection will be transferred to quarantine facilities.

Passengers who develop symptoms within 21 days of arrival are advised to seek medical attention immediately and inform healthcare providers of their travel history and the date the symptoms began.

The move came as Indian authorities are racing to contain a Nipah virus cluster in West Bengal, where five cases have been confirmed in areas near Kolkata, including infections among healthcare workers, Global Times reported.

As part of containment efforts, nearly 100 people have reportedly been placed under home quarantine while health officials conduct contact tracing and disease control operations.

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that spreads from animals to humans and, in some cases, through human-to-human transmission, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO says Nipah can range from mild illness to acute respiratory infection and fatal encephalitis, with an estimated case fatality rate of 40-75%, depending on the outbreak and health-system capacity.