PBBM ORDERS STRICT MONITORING VS NIPAH VIRUS, OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES

FOLLOWING President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive, the Department of Health (DOH) has intensified its surveillance against the Nipah virus and other infectious diseases to safeguard public health, Malacañang said on Thursday.

“Patuloy na nakatutok at nagbabantay and Bureau of Quarantine ng DOH sa Nipah virus na napabalitang na-detect muli sa ibang bansa,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing.

“Ito’y alinsunod sa direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na panatilihing ligtas ang mga Pilipino mula sa mga infectious diseases,” she said.

Castro said the DOH has aligned its health protocols with the latest updates from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Castro added that the DOH remains fully alert and proactive in conducting screening procedures in the country’s borders through on-arrival thermal scanning, trained observation, and close scrutiny of online health declarations.

The health department is also ramping up its information campaign on the Nipah virus, raising awareness on its symptoms such as fever, headache, and breathing difficulty.

Health officials said the virus can be transmitted through direct contact with infected animals such as bats and pigs and also with contaminated fruits.

The Palace Press Officer advised the public to monitor DOH health updates to ensure safety.

According to the WHO, Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic illness that is transmitted to people from animals. It can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from person-to-person.

It causes a range of illnesses in infected people from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis.

The virus, which has caused only a few known outbreaks in Asia, can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant livestock losses.