Nipah virus outbreak in India sparks worry in China before Lunar New Year

By Admin

27 Jan, 2026

An outbreak of the highly fatal Nipah virus in India’s eastern state of West Bengal has drawn significant attention in China, especially as the Lunar New Year approaches a period marked by massive domestic and international travel. With millions expected to be on the move during the Spring Festival, concerns over cross-border transmission of infectious diseases have resurfaced, reviving public anxiety shaped by memories of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rising concern amid festive travel rush
At least five people have reportedly been infected with the Nipah virus in West Bengal, including one patient in critical condition. Although the number of cases remains limited, the virus’s high fatality rate reaching up to 75 per cent has triggered unease among the Chinese public. Discussions related to Nipah trended on Chinese social media platforms, with users expressing fear of renewed travel restrictions or lockdowns during the holiday season.

The timing of the outbreak is particularly sensitive. The annual 40-day Lunar New Year travel rush, known as chunyun, runs from February 2 to March 13 this year, creating ideal conditions for the international spread of infectious diseases. This concern is heightened by the recent easing of visa rules between China and India, aimed at boosting bilateral travel.

Why health experts say the risk to China is low
Despite public anxiety, Chinese health experts have stressed that the risk of a Nipah outbreak in China remains manageable. In a recent report, the China Centre for Disease Control and Prevention called for heightened vigilance against imported diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya and Lassa fever during the festival period. Notably, Nipah was not included in the list.

According to Zhao Haiyan, a virologist at Wuhan University who studies highly pathogenic viruses, Nipah has relatively limited transmission pathways compared with highly contagious respiratory diseases like influenza or Covid-19. Since the virus was first identified in 1998, several neighbouring countries have reported sporadic outbreaks almost every year, yet China has not documented any imported Nipah cases.

Zhao explained that Nipah virus infections are mainly linked to direct contact with infected animals especially bats and pigs or the consumption of food contaminated with animal secretions such as saliva or urine. Human-to-human transmission is possible but generally inefficient and usually requires close contact with bodily fluids in the absence of proper infection control.

Understanding the virus and its severity
Nipah is a zoonotic virus with no specific treatment or approved vaccine. Symptoms can range from mild or asymptomatic infection to severe respiratory illness. The most dangerous complication is encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, which can cause confusion, seizures, coma and death days or weeks after initial symptoms appear.

Studies in India and Bangladesh have shown that a major route of transmission from bats to humans is the consumption of raw date palm sap contaminated by bat saliva or urine a practice not common in China. In addition, most bat species found in China differ from the primary natural reservoir of the virus, Pteropus fruit bats, further reducing spillover risk.

China’s preparedness and regional response
Experts believe China is better equipped to contain potential imported cases due to stronger public health infrastructure, cleaner public facilities and different dietary habits. A virologist from Tsinghua University noted that while the overall risk is low, strict border controls and continued investment in research on antibody treatments and vaccines remain essential.

Since 2022, several Chinese research teams have been working on Nipah-related studies as part of broader public health preparedness efforts, focusing on surveillance, early warning systems and risk assessment.

Other countries in the region are also taking precautionary measures. Thailand has introduced enhanced screening at major airports for passengers arriving from West Bengal. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated that screening systems have been adjusted using models developed during the Covid-19 outbreak, even though no Nipah cases have been detected in the country so far.

Global context and legal safeguards
According to the World Health Organization, confirmed human outbreaks of Nipah have so far been limited to South and Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. In India alone, infections have occurred multiple times since 2001, with recent cases reported in Kerala last year.

China has also strengthened its legal framework. The Frontier Health and Quarantine Law, which came into force last year, lists the Nipah virus as one of the targeted pathogens to prevent cross-border transmission.

Conclusion
While the Nipah virus outbreak in India has understandably raised alarm in China ahead of the Lunar New Year, expert assessments suggest that the likelihood of a major outbreak remains low. Continued vigilance, strict border health controls and sustained research efforts are key to ensuring that festive travel does not turn into a public health crisis.