Several Asian countries have ramped up airport health screenings following a Nipah virus outbreak in South Asia.
The deadly virus, which spreads from animals to humans and is carried by fruit bats, was first identified in Malaysia in 1998. Recent cases have been reported in India and Bangladesh.
Thailand, Nepal, and Taiwan are now screening passengers arriving from India after the virus was detected at a hospital in West Bengal. Around 100 people, including a doctor and two nurses, have been quarantined.
The World Health Organization has warned that Nipah is highly contagious and has the potential to trigger a major outbreak. Symptoms include fever, headache, breathing difficulties, and brain related complications.
