Manila: The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday said border surveillance and screening protocols are well in place in the Philippines even without the threat of the Nipah virus (NiV). The DOH stated that all ports and gateways nationwide have designated Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) sub-stations, where infrared thermal scanners are positioned in every arrival concourse.
According to Philippines News Agency, in these stations, two BOQ nurses are stationed to monitor the temperature of passengers arriving from overseas. 'The scanner will alarm if the temperature of the person it reads is higher than 37.5. There are also spotters assigned to manually observe passengers for wounds or rashes,' the DOH said in a statement. If a passenger needs to be referred to a hospital, transfer to a DOH-designated hospital, such as the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City, would be arranged.
On top of these measures, the DOH mentioned that passengers are required to accomplish the health declaration checklist in the e-Travel application needed to enter the country. 'Although there is no Nipah virus in the Philippines, continue to practice proper and regular hand washing and clean food preparation, especially for meat,' it advised.
In India, two confirmed cases of NiV infection were nurses from Barasat, North 24 Parganas district, aged between 20 and 30. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the two developed symptoms typical of a severe infection in late December 2025 and were admitted to hospital early this year. As of January 21, the second case showed clinical improvement, while the first case remained under critical care.
The Indian National Centre for Disease Control announced on January 27 that no further confirmed cases have been detected in West Bengal from December 2025 to date. WHO earlier stated that the risk of the NiV spreading beyond India is 'low.' An expert explained that NiV is transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals, such as bats and pigs, or their bodily fluids, and by consuming food products contaminated by those fluids. Close contact with an infected person's respiratory droplets or body fluids may also transmit the virus.
