Ho Chi Minh City issues emergency order due to Nipah virus, tightly closes border crossings because it is more dangerous than Covid-19?

Ho Chi Minh City has urgently tightened border controls due to the risk of Nipah virus entry. The health sector has implemented a series of strict preventive measures, ready to respond to this dangerous virus for which there is no vaccine, in order to protect the community.

The threat of the "death sentence" known as Nipah in India.

At the end of January 2026, the world held its breath watching the Nipah virus outbreak that had just begun in West Bengal, India. Although the number of confirmed cases was only 5, the danger lay in its "shocking" mortality rate: ranging from 40% to 75%. Compared to Covid-19, the Nipah virus is many times more virulent, directly attacking the respiratory system and central nervous system of its host.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nipah virus is not only transmitted from animals to humans but can also be transmitted from person to person through close contact. Patients who survive acute encephalitis caused by Nipah virus often suffer severe lifelong consequences such as prolonged seizures or complete personality changes. In India, local authorities have urgently quarantined hundreds of close contacts to contain and prevent a potential pandemic that could cripple the healthcare system.

Ho Chi Minh City tightens border control measures and activates surveillance systems.

Facing the risk of disease transmission via air and sea routes, on the evening of January 26th, the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) issued an urgent directive to strengthen monitoring of incoming travelers. International border gates in Ho Chi Minh City have now erected strict health barriers, focusing on controlling passengers returning from affected areas or exhibiting suspected symptoms such as high fever, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. Thermal screening systems and temporary isolation areas are operating 24/7 to ensure no potential cases are missed.

City health representatives emphasized that, due to the relatively long incubation period of Nipah virus (4 to 14 days), health declarations are crucial. People returning from affected areas are urged to monitor their health and contact medical facilities immediately if any unusual symptoms appear. This is not only a personal preventative measure but also a community responsibility to avoid a potential outbreak within the city – a densely populated area with complex transportation networks.

A crucial piece of advice: No vaccine, prevention is the number one priority.

What makes the Nipah virus even more frightening is that modern medicine has yet to find a preventive vaccine or specific treatment. Currently, all cases can only be treated symptomatically and with supportive care for recovery. Therefore, the HCDC (Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control) advises people to strictly adhere to hygiene rules: frequently wash hands with soap, avoid contact with bats or their habitats. In particular, people should be cautious with food and fruits that show signs of being bitten by animals or contaminated with bat secretions.

The Nipah virus can cause patients to fall into a deep coma within 24 to 48 hours of the onset of encephalitis. Therefore, the proactive and alert attitude of each individual is the most important weapon at this time. Ho Chi Minh City is mobilizing all resources to "tightly seal" all loopholes at border crossings, determined to protect the achievements in disease prevention and control and the safety of more than 10 million people against the looming threat of a new pandemic from South Asia.

The resurgence of the Nipah virus raises concerns about a repeat of the terrifying COVID-19 scenario. Tuyết Anh15:21:39 27/01/2026Social media is abuzz with images of healthcare workers in full protective gear, reminiscent of the dark days of 2019. With a death rate many times higher than COVID-19, the truth about the Nipah virus has many wondering: Is another lockdown imminent?