A cluster of cases of the deadly Nipah virus in India caused nearby countries to step up screening measures, although New Delhi said it had the outbreak under control.
Nipah, first detected in 1999, is usually found in bats and pigs, but occasionally breaks out into humans. There’s no vaccine for the virus, which can lead to fevers, brain swelling, and respiratory illness.
It can spread person-to-person, but only via fluid contact, and so is less contagious than airborne diseases like COVID. It is, however, extremely deadly — up to 75% of cases are fatal — and so Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Thailand began temperature checks for incoming passengers.