(PHUKET, THAILAND) — Flying from India to Phuket just got a little slower at the arrivals hall. Phuket International Airport has tightened health screening for passengers arriving from India, especially eastern gateways tied to Kolkata, after a Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal reached five confirmed cases as of Jan. 23, 2026.
For travelers, the big impact is practical. Expect extra screening if you’re landing from India, and build buffer time for onward connections, hotel transfers, and pre-booked tours.
The move also signals that airlines and airports in the region are treating India-origin travel with extra caution, even as Thailand says it has detected zero Nipah cases domestically so far.
Phuket airport officials said the airport is coordinating closely with Thailand’s Department of Disease Control and local medical facilities in Phuket and neighboring Phangnga. The airport typically handles 10,000 to 20,000 arrivals a day, with 30,000 to 40,000 total passengers daily including departures.
That volume matters, because even small slowdowns can create longer queues during peak bank arrivals.
Phuket International Airport steps up screening and preparedness
The airport’s focus is symptom detection and quick escalation. Staff have been trained to spot early Nipah symptoms, which can look like a common respiratory infection at first.
Travelers with signs such as high fever or breathing distress may face secondary screening, and local hospitals have been readied for isolation and management of suspected cases.
This is not a “travel shutdown” signal. It’s an airport-level public health posture change with the goal to catch symptomatic cases fast while keeping tourist traffic flowing.
Here’s what that can look like on arrival:
- More visible health staff in the immigration and baggage claim areas
- Symptom-based screening, especially for travelers from India
- Clear protocols for referral to medical teams when red flags appear
Thailand’s national response: surveillance first, and keep calm
Thailand has also widened measures beyond Phuket. Authorities have ordered enhanced surveillance at international checkpoints nationwide, with screening for symptomatic arrivals, including people presenting with high fever.
Officials also activated the country’s “One Health” network. That approach tracks risk across human health, animal health, and environmental factors, and is commonly used for zoonotic diseases like Nipah, which can spill over from wildlife.
As of Jan. 24, 2026, Thailand has reported no Nipah detections. Government briefings have stressed strict measures while urging the public to stay calm.
The same briefings pointed to India’s response, including quarantines and contact tracing around confirmed cases.
What’s happening in India: timeline and location details
The outbreak in India is centered in West Bengal. Officials traced early activity to around Jan. 12, 2026, in Barasat, roughly 25 kilometers from Kolkata.
India has confirmed five cases. Reported infections include frontline medical workers linked to a hospital near Kolkata: two nurses, a doctor, and a health worker.
Authorities have quarantined about 100 people and traced more than 180 contacts, reflecting aggressive containment efforts. Patients have been moved to Kolkata’s infectious diseases hospital, and one female nurse was reported in critical condition in an intensive care setting.
For travelers, the geography matters. Kolkata is a major gateway for eastern India and connects to popular religious and leisure travel corridors, including trips onward to places such as Bodh Gaya.
What Nipah is, and why authorities treat it seriously
Nipah is a bat-borne zoonotic virus, and it’s one public health teams do not take lightly. Reported fatality rates range from 40% to 75%.
Transmission can occur through contaminated food, including fruit, via animals, or through limited human-to-human spread. There is no vaccine or cure, which is why screening and rapid isolation planning are front and center at airports.
Symptoms often start like the flu and can include fever, cough, and respiratory issues. In severe cases they can progress to brain inflammation such as encephalitis or meningitis.
The incubation period is typically cited as 4 to 21 days, which complicates travel screening because people can feel fine while infected.
Thailand’s Department of Medical Sciences can confirm infection using real-time RT-PCR tests on samples such as blood, secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, or urine. Results can be available in about eight hours, which supports quicker clinical decisions once a suspected case is identified.
What this means for flights, refunds, and your miles
So far, this is an airport screening story, not a route suspension story. Still, travelers should watch for schedule padding and longer arrival processing at Phuket International Airport, especially on peak India-bound days.
Airlines’ flexibility usually hinges on whether a government issues formal travel restrictions. If there are no waivers, a voluntary cancellation may still fall under the fare rules you bought, which can be painful on the cheapest tickets.
If you’re holding nonrefundable economy, check two things before you cancel:
- Whether your airline has issued a public health waiver for West Bengal or specific India airports
- Whether your ticket is eligible for a free change, even without a waiver
Miles and points can be a safety net. Award tickets are often easier to change or cancel than basic cash fares, depending on the program.
If you’re chasing elite status, be aware that rerouting or last-minute airline switches can change which flights earn redeemable miles and tier credit, especially on partner tickets.
Competitive context: how airports and airlines typically respond
Thailand’s approach lines up with what you’ve seen during prior regional health alerts: symptom-based screening, rapid referral pathways, and messaging aimed at avoiding panic. Airports that rely heavily on leisure traffic, like Phuket, tend to emphasize continuity of travel while raising medical readiness behind the scenes.
In practice, that means you may feel the impact more in queue time than in outright flight cancellations, at least in the early phase.
⚠️ Heads Up: If you’ve got upcoming travel to eastern India, take extra care with food and hygiene. Avoid raw or unsanitary foods, wash fruit carefully, and keep hand sanitizer handy.
For trips in the next two to three weeks, plan for extra time on arrival in Phuket, keep your airline’s app notifications on, and don’t skip travel insurance checks for medical coverage and trip interruption—especially if your itinerary touches Kolkata or the surrounding West Bengal area.
Phuket International Airport Nipah Virus Outbreak Department of Disease Control Tightens Screening
Phuket International Airport has introduced mandatory health screenings for travelers from India following a Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal. With five confirmed cases in India, Thai authorities are monitoring arrivals for respiratory symptoms and fever. Although no cases have been detected in Thailand, the government is prioritizing surveillance and rapid response protocols to maintain public safety while keeping the tourism sector operational during the health alert.
