Hanoi (VNA) - The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) on January 28 urged Filipinos to remain vigilant amid reports of the spread of the Nipah virus abroad, while reassuring citizens that the country is prepared to prevent its entry and transmission.
The DOH said the recent detection of confirmed human cases of Nipah Virus in West Bengal, India, has prompted global alerts, but there are no international recommendations for travel restrictions at this time.
The agency noted that proactive border screening measures continue to be enforced to protect the public from the entry of infectious diseases, including online health declarations before travel, on-arrival thermal scanning, and trained observation of travelers at ports of entry.
The DOH stressed that the Nipah virus is not new to the country. It was detected as early as 2014 in the southern Philippines, with 17 cases being recorded, and no further infections have been reported since then./.
Vietnam tightens Nipah virus prevention at border gates
Local authorities have been instructed to strengthen disease prevention and control measures at border gates, medical facilities and in the community, stay updated with global disease information, and closely monitor inbound travellers.
