Nipah is an infection that spreads mainly through products contaminated by infected bats, such as fruit. Countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Pakistan have stepped up temperature screenings at airports after India identified two cases of the deadly Nipah virus in West Bengal this week.
These measures are described as precautionary steps for a dangerous disease by countries’ health ministries. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated on Friday that it does not currently recommend airport screening, citing the low risk of the virus spreading from India.
Nipah specialist Dr Md Zakiul Hassan of Malaysia said: “Based on what we currently know, there is a very low likelihood that this outbreak will cause a large international epidemic.”
Piero Olliaro, professor of poverty-related diseases at the University of Oxford, argued that airport screenings for such a rare disease would be ineffective. He stated: “Countries sometimes do these things just to show they’re flexing their muscles… telling their people that they’re doing something to protect them.” Public health experts also noted that airport temperature screenings have rarely been effective in stopping disease spread during the COVID-19 pandemic, and further, many illnesses can cause a fever.
Experts recommended focusing instead on understanding the virus better where it currently spreads, protecting those at risk with new vaccines and treatments, rather than relying on screening measures. Olliaro emphasized: “Preparedness means we have the tools now, and we are not trying to develop the tools when the horse has left the stable.”