Pakistan has ordered stricter health screening for people entering the country to detect possible infections of the deadly Nipah virus, following India’s confirmation of two cases. The move places Pakistan among several Asian nations that have heightened preventive measures in response to the virus. Countries including Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam have also increased airport screening protocols. The Nipah virus can cause fever and inflammation of the brain, carries a high fatality rate, and has no approved vaccine. However, health experts note that human-to-human transmission is relatively rare and usually requires close, prolonged contact.

Pakistan’s Border Health Services department said it was essential to strengthen surveillance and preventive measures at all entry points. Under the new directives, all incoming travellers will undergo thermal screening and medical evaluation at airports, seaports, and land crossings. Authorities will also require passengers to provide a 21-day travel history to determine whether they have visited Nipah-affected or high-risk areas.

Travel between Pakistan and India remains highly restricted, with no direct flights operating, especially after intense hostilities between the two countries last year. In Vietnam, health officials in Hanoi have instructed airport authorities to screen arriving passengers at Noi Bai International Airport, particularly those travelling from India and the eastern state of West Bengal, where the two recent cases were reported in late December. Travellers will be checked using temperature scanners to allow for early detection, isolation, and epidemiological investigation. Similar measures have already been implemented in Ho Chi Minh City at international border points.

India’s health ministry said it has traced 196 contacts linked to the confirmed cases, with all individuals testing negative and showing no symptoms. Nipah is a rare zoonotic virus that primarily spreads from infected animals, especially fruit bats, to humans. While some infections may be asymptomatic, the disease is often severe, with fatality rates ranging from 40 to 75 percent, depending on healthcare capacity, according to the World Health Organisation.

The virus was first identified more than 25 years ago during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore, though scientists believe it has existed in fruit bat populations for thousands of years. The WHO has designated Nipah as a priority pathogen. India continues to report occasional cases, particularly in Kerala, one of the world’s highest-risk regions. As of December 2025, global records show 750 confirmed Nipah infections and 415 deaths. Efforts to develop a vaccine are underway, supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.