ISLAMABAD: The Border Health Services-Pakistan (BHS-P) on Wednesday issued an advisory ordering the screening of all passengers at the country’s entry points to curb the cross-border spread of Nipah virus.
An outbreak of the Nipah virus in India’s West Bengal state has sparked concern in Asian countries such as Thailand and Indonesia, who have started screening passengers. Two cases have been confirmed in India’s West Bengal since December, reportedly in health care workers.
Nipah, a zoonotic virus first identified during a 1990s outbreak in Malaysia, spreads through fruit bats, pigs and human-to-human contact. There is no vaccine for the virus, which can cause raging fevers, convulsions and vomiting. The only treatment is supportive care to control complications and keep patients comfortable.
The BHS-P, a department of the Ministry of National Health Services, issued an advisory on Wednesday saying that the outbreak of the virus in India had made it imperative to strengthen preventive and surveillance measures at borders.
“All In-Charges at Points of Entry shall ensure 100 percent screening of all arriving passengers, transit passengers, crew members, drivers, helpers, and support staff,” a copy of the advisory seen by Arab News read.
