MANILA: The Bureau of Quarantine of the Department of Health (DOH-BOQ) on Saturday (Jan 31) said the Nipah virus has not been detected in the country, assuring the public that safety health measures are in place.
In an episode of dzMM Teleradyo, BOQ officer-in-charge Dr Roberto Salvado said the bureau is closely monitoring international travellers arriving at ports and airports 24/7 to prevent the virus from entering and spreading in the country.
“As of now, since the issue about Nipah [virus] rose, we haven’t monitored or intercepted the virus even from those arriving from the direct flight from India,” Salvador said when asked if the BOQ has monitored a case of the virus.
“Like what we said, the BOQ is monitoring the passengers 24/7 to ensure that the virus will not enter and spread in the country,” Salvador added.
Salvador cited the help of e-Travel system, a platform for arriving and departing passengers in the country where their data can be used for border control, health surveillance, and economic analysis.
He added that through this application, they can easily monitor passengers from direct flights arriving from India, where the Nipah virus was recently detected in two individuals.
The DOH added that proactive measures, such as border surveillance and screening protocols, are in place in ports and airports in the country.
This includes placing infrared thermal scanners where two BOQ nurses monitor the temperature of arriving passengers and spotters to assess if passengers have rashes or other physical manifestations of the disease.
When asked if the BOQ tightened its protocols for passengers arriving from India, Salvador said: “We are strengthening our surveillance and monitoring if they have fever and our spotters are trained to assess additional signs and symptoms if they did not declare the right information in the e-travel app.”
Salvador reminded the public to take precautions, especially when traveling to countries with a history of a virus outbreak.
“It is important to remember that if you are travelling abroad, educate yourself in the possible diseases you can contact from there. Always remember the standard precaution: wear a face mask, wash your hands, social distance to prevent being infected if we are exposed to the disease abroad,” he explained.
In an earlier statement, DOH spokesperson Dr Albert Domingo said that the Nipah virus has not been seen in the Philippines since 2014.
He added that after it was no longer detected, “the DOH continued to monitor through the Epidemiology Bureau.”
India’s health ministry on Tuesday said it logged two cases of the virus, adding that 196 contacts linked to the cases had been traced and tested negative.
“This situation is under constant monitoring, and all necessary public health measures are in place,” the health ministry said in a statement. - Philippine Daily/ANN
