Nipah Virus Scare: Thailand Enhances Screening Of Flights From West Bengal

Thailand's Civil Aviation Authority announced that it will implement comprehensive screening for all flights arriving from India's West Bengal, a high-risk region for Nipah virus, starting from 00:00 local time on Monday to prevent the virus from entering the country. In a statement released on Sunday, the authority said the screening measures will be adjusted dynamically based on the evolving situation. Key protocols currently in place involve airlines conducting preliminary health checks at the point of departure. Passengers who exhibit symptoms that call for further testing are required to present relevant medical certificates before boarding and must adhere to public health guidelines throughout the flight.

Upon arrival in Thailand, all travelers will undergo temperature checks and be required to fill out a health declaration form. Dedicated screening stations have been set up in the jet bridge areas of designated airports.

According to Thai media reports, direct flights operate between Kolkata in West Bengal and three major Thai airports -- Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, and Phuket, where the screening measures have already been rolled out.

No Nipah virus cases have been reported in Thailand so far, authorities said on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the World Health Organization and other health bodies, the Nipah virus primarily targets the lungs and brain. Symptoms include fever, headache, drowsiness, confusion, and coma, with a mortality rate exceeding 40 per cent among infected patients.

Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans) and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.

Although Nipah virus has caused only a few known outbreaks in Asia, it infects a wide range of animals and causes severe disease and death in people, making it a public health concern.

Nipah virus was first recognised in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in, Malaysia. No new outbreaks have been reported in Malaysia since 1999.

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