Pakistan announced the activation of “tight and enhanced health surveillance” at all entrances to the country, with the aim of preventing the Nipah virus from crossing the borders.
Nipah virus:
Nipah virus is transmitted by fruit bats and other animals such as pigs, and is capable of causing fatal encephalitis in humans, and is also transmitted directly between humans through close contact. It is worth noting that several vaccines are currently being developed, but they are still in the testing stages.
The World Health Organization classifies this virus as a priority pathogen, due to its high potential to cause widespread outbreaks, its high mortality rate, which ranges between 40% and 75%, and the lack of an approved vaccine or treatment yet.
These Pakistani measures come in line with similar steps taken by other countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia, after India confirmed the presence of cases of infection with the virus.
Health procedures in Pakistan:
The Border Health Services Pakistan (BHS-P), under the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, issued an advisory statement referring to a regional alert received from international and regional public health surveillance mechanisms, including the WHO Epidemiological Bulletin for the South-East Asia Region.
The statement indicated, based on this alert, that in view of “suspected cases of infection with the Nipah virus in the state of West Bengal in India, and in view of the high death rate, its zoonotic nature, and the possibility of human-to-human transmission, it has become necessary to strengthen prevention and surveillance measures on the borders of Pakistan.”
In an effort to prevent the Nipah virus from crossing into Pakistan, and to ensure early detection and immediate response, the relevant authorities have taken a decision to implement strict and enhanced health control measures at all entry points, effective from the date of issuance of the statement.
The statement stressed that these directives include all entry points, including international airports, sea ports, and land border crossings, without exception.
In the details of the instructions, the statement stressed the need for all officials at entry points to ensure a 100% comprehensive examination of all arriving passengers, transit passengers, crew members, drivers, assistants, and support staff.
The statement added that no person will be allowed to enter Pakistan without obtaining a health certificate from the Public Health Authority of Pakistan.
Under these new measures, mandatory verification of the country of origin and complete travel and transit history for the past 21 days will be made for every traveller, regardless of their nationality or travel status.
In addition, travelers are required to undergo thermal screening and clinical assessment at points of entry.
