M'sia ramps up Nipah virus surveillance after cases surfaced in India

Authorities in Malaysia are stepping up Nipah virus checks with increased surveillance at its borders, following cases of the virus being reported in India.

Bernama reported that Malaysia's Ministry of Health said in a Jan. 28 statement: "Although Malaysia has not reported any cases of the Nipah disease since 1999, the MOH remains vigilant against the risk of cross-border transmission following sporadic infections reported in several other countries."

According to The Star, Malaysia's MOH said public health preparedness at points of entry, including international airports, seaports and land border crossings, remains in accordance with established protocols.

It added that measures will be scaled up proportionately in accordance with evolving risk assessment and official epidemiological updates.

Other countries

The ramping up of border checks follows a number of countries starting to do so, 8world reported, adding that this includes Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Thailand's Ministry of Public Health has begun screening travellers arriving at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, focusing on travellers from West Bengal.

In Taiwan, health authorities have proposed the listing of the Nipah virus as a "Category 5 disease", which covers emerging or rare infections that pose significant public health risks and require immediate reporting and special control measures.

BBC reported that Nepal has also stepped up screening measures for arrivals at Kathmandu's airport, as well as at land border crossings with India.

Previous cases

This came after two Nipah virus cases were reported in India's eastern state of West Bengal, according to India media reports.

Telegraph reported that two cases of Nipah virus, a rare, bat-borne pathogen, were previously confirmed in a hospital in India.

It was reported that both cases which involved nurses, one male and one female, saw one in critical condition and in coma.

A total of 196 people identified as close contacts have since been traced and tested, all of whom returned negative results.

The Nipah virus

BBC reported that the Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease, which means that it can be transmitted from animals to humans.

The virus is mainly carried by fruit bats of the Pteropus species, creating a constant risk of spillover to humans through contaminated food or direct contact.

Symptoms

Due to its epidemic potential, it is classified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a priority pathogen.

With an incubation period typically ranging from four to 14 days, infected individuals may experience a wide range of symptoms, while some may remain asymptomatic.

Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat, which in certain cases, may progress to drowsiness, altered consciousness and pneumonia.

Severe infections can lead to encephalitis, a potentially fatal inflammation of the brain.

According to the Wuhan virology institute, there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for the virus, with fatality rates in previous outbreaks ranging from 40 to 75 per cent since its first known outbreak in Malaysia in 1998.

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