Health authorities have urged the public not to panic following reports of a Nipah virus outbreak in India, while confirming that no cases have been detected in Chiang Mai or anywhere in Thailand.
Dr. Waranyu Jamnongprasatporn, Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Officer, said India has confirmed five Nipah virus cases, including three new cases reported in the past week, prompting Indian authorities to quarantine and monitor more than 180 close contacts in West Bengal and step up surveillance measures.
Although there are no direct flights from India to Chiang Mai, the province has activated precautionary measures as Nipah virus is classified as a dangerous communicable disease under Thai law. Enhanced screening is in place at Chiang Mai International Airport, and all hospitals have been instructed to screen patients with high fever or symptoms consistent with Nipah virus infection, particularly those who have travelled from India within the past 14–21 days. Isolation facilities and medical supplies have been prepared, and medical personnel have been briefed.
Nipah virus is a severe zoonotic disease with a fatality rate of 40–75 percent, capable of causing acute respiratory illness and encephalitis. It is transmitted through contact with infected animals—especially fruit bats and pigs—contaminated food, or close contact with infected individuals.
Health officials advise the public to practise good hygiene, avoid contact with sick animals, avoid eating fruit with bite marks, and seek medical attention promptly if symptoms develop after travel to high-risk areas.