India's Nipah outbreak 'low risk,' says WHO; no travel restrictions recommended

A week after many Asian airports began COVID-style health checks following the detection of the Nipah virus in India's West Bengal, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said there was no cause for concern. According to the WHO, the current outbreak is low risk and unlikely to spread further. Therefore, they have recommended that there be no trade or travel restrictions. Currently, India has two confirmed cases of Nipah infections. Both of them are 25-year-old nurses (a male and a female) from West Bengal's Barasat city and are now placed in isolation following neurological complications. While the male nurse's condition is improving, the female patient remains critical. 

The WHO website states that, at this time, there is no evidence of increased human-to-human transmission following this outbreak. "The national, regional and global risk remains low. The cases are confined to North 24 Paraganas district (where Barasat is located), with no reported travel with symptomatic. All identified contacts have tested negative. The likelihood of spread to other Indian states or internationally is considered low. Based on current evidence, WHO does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions," says the website. It also states that there are no known cases of international spread of Nipah via travel. 

Security continues in airports
As of now, airports that have started biosecurity monitoring are continuing it and have not withdrawn it. Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport is the most recent to install thermal cameras and take a proactive approach to mitigate the virus spread. Earlier, airports in Thailand, Vietnam, and China, as well as Nepal's border points, began conducting health checks and implementing vigilance measures following the outbreak.