PRESS STATEMENT ON THE EMERGENCE OF NIPAH VIRUS 2026
Dr. Jerome L. Montemayor
Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)
It was only five years ago when our generation faced the challenge of the COVID-19 global pandemic. After the first case in the ASEAN region was documented on 13 January 2020, the lives of millions of people in the region and the world were never the same. Travel restrictions and the mandatory wearing of face masks and face shields lasted for a week, then months, then years. A worldwide recession resulted from the slowing global economy, the decline in investment, and the disruption of supply chains. In the ASEAN Rapid Assessment: The Impact of COVID-19 on Livelihoods across ASEAN, the World Bank shared that economies, like most ASEAN Member States, that are most dependent on global trade, tourism, remittances, and commodity exports were hit the hardest. This does not even consider the toll it has taken on the health and lives of millions, especially the poor and vulnerable. A lot of people lost their jobs, lives, and even the time to grieve. It is a grim situation that no one would ever want to experience twice in their lifetime.
Today, reports of Nipah virus (NiV) outbreaks have sparked concerns of another global pandemic. The NiV, however, is not new. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it was first reported in 1998 and has since been reported in several Asian countries. Some appear to be without symptoms, but patients infected with NiV experience fever, headache or confusion, and coughs or breathing difficulty. With no vaccine or specific treatment except for intensive supportive care, its fatality rate is around 40 to 75 per cent.
Studies estimate that more than 60 per cent of current human infectious diseases and at least 75 per cent of newly emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, originating in animals. Like COVID-19, Ebola virus, and Avian Influenza, NiV is a zoonotic virus. Fruit bats from the Pteropodidae family are its natural hosts. Infected bats do not appear to be “sick”, but they can directly transmit it to other animals, like bats, pigs, or horses. In addition to contaminated product consumption, pathogen spillovers stem from increased direct exposure of humans to wildlife. This happens because of deforestation, habitat loss, encroachment, and market trade. To learn more about zoonoses, watch Containing the Contagion: Zoonotic Diseases in the ASEAN Region.
Climate change is another factor contributing to the emergence of these zoonotic diseases. Disease vectors that previously could not survive in the cold are now able to thrive in warmer climates. Temperature changes also force wildlife to migrate, increasing contact with other species and with humans. Flooding from extreme weather events increases breeding sites for vectors, while drought forces animals to move and come into contact with other species in search of water.
Since zoonotic diseases like the NiV can spread between people, we need to practice the lessons learnt from the previous pandemic to prevent the spread of the disease. If possible, avoid crowded and poorly ventilated places, use personal protective equipment such as face masks, and practice frequent disinfection and thorough handwashing. But what else can we do together to avoid the rise and spread of such zoonotic diseases in the long run?
It is good to know that nature itself provides solutions that can mitigate the risk of zoonotic spillover events. But what if this natural line of defence is compromised? Where do we run to? Our current situation highlights the urgent need for effective habitat conservation and restoration. This is showcased in one of our flagship initiatives, the ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP) Programme. There are currently 69 AHPs in the network of protected areas of high conservation importance. The ACB facilitates coordination among the AHP managers and conducts different capacity-building initiatives to enhance the management and conservation skills of protected area workers. Another related initiative that the ACB is leading is the ASEAN Green Initiative, an endeavour to plant at least 10 million native trees across the ASEAN Member States in 10 years, in line with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. In addition, the ASEAN Flyway Network offers a regional platform for collaboration to ensure the survival of migratory birds and the conservation of their habitats.
Following the ASEAN Leaders 2023 Declaration on One Health Initiative, the ACB’s work on mainstreaming biodiversity and advancing the roles of the environment sector in the ASEAN One Health Joint Plan of Action emphasises how conservation is better than cure. By integrating ecosystem and wildlife surveillance into public health risk assessments and advising on land use and environmental impact processes to reduce human–wildlife contact, we could provide a holistic approach to mitigate zoonotic outbreaks. These upstream measures—habitat protection and restoration, market hygiene, and participatory land-use planning—will help in reducing spillover risks.
In the face of emerging threats such as the NiV and other zoonotic diseases, it is important to act fast and explore the best measures that we can take to prevent another pandemic. Nature itself offers the solution, but we also have to do our part in preventing another global health crisis. The ACB continues to call on everyone to minimise human-wildlife interaction, avoid illegal wildlife trade, and be actively involved in conserving and restoring our biodiversity and the natural systems we all depend on.
