By Jennifer Rigby LONDON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Airport screenings for Nipah virus, which have been stepped up across Asia this week after two cases were identified in India, are more about reassurance than science,

Nipah virus belongs to a family called henipaviruses and is zoonotic, meaning it can spread from animals to humans. Fruit bats are considered the natural carriers. Although outbreaks are typically limited in scale, the severity of infection makes early detection and isolation critical.

Following the outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus, airports in Asia are screening travelers from the “affected areas.”

As health authorities step up surveillance amid fresh Nipah virus concerns, here’s a comprehensive look at the outbreak, symptoms, transmission risks, fatality rate, and the World Health Organisation’s latest assessment and guidelines.

Health Minister Mark Butler says the government is monitoring the outbreak of the highly deadly Nipah virus “very closely” after two cases were detected in the Indian state of West Bengal.