MANILA – The Department of Health Bureau of Quarantine (DOH-BOQ) has intensified health protocols, including passenger screenings, at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and other points of entry in response to the Nipah virus outbreak in India, a DOH official said Wednesday.

DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo told reporters that all airports are being monitored around the clock, regardless of whether incoming passengers show symptoms of infection. The measures follow World Health Organization (WHO) standards, and informational materials on the Nipah virus are being distributed at all entry points.

Since there is no international recommendation to restrict travel, the Philippines’ borders remain open. Instead, proactive measures such as online health declarations and thermal checks for arriving passengers are being implemented.

India has reported five confirmed Nipah virus cases in West Bengal, with 100 close contacts under monitoring, Domingo said.

Primarily carried by bats, the Nipah virus can spread to animals such as pigs and horses and may infect humans through contaminated food, close contact, or respiratory droplets. Symptoms appear three to 21 days after exposure and include fever, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, and sore throat, potentially progressing to life-threatening brain swelling, respiratory problems, or seizures.

The virus first emerged in Malaysia in 1999, killing over 100 people, mostly pig farmers, and later spread to Singapore. Bangladesh and India have experienced periodic outbreaks linked to consumption of fruits contaminated by infected bats. In pigs, Nipah is highly contagious, with symptoms such as barking coughs, trembling, and muscle spasms; authorities recommend culling infected animals and restricting livestock movement.

No approved drugs or vaccines currently exist, and treatment is mainly supportive for patients with severe respiratory or neurological symptoms. WHO has classified Nipah as a priority disease under its Research and Development Blueprint.

Domingo advised Filipinos to reduce infection risk by avoiding bats and sick animals and ensuring that all meat consumed is properly cooked and certified by the National Meat Inspection Service. WHO estimates the virus’ fatality rate at 40% to 75%.

The DOH reassured the public that the country is capable of preventing and controlling Nipah virus cases, noting that the virus is not new in the Philippines. The last recorded outbreak occurred in 2014 in Sultan Kudarat, affecting 17 people with flu-like symptoms and brain infections linked to consumption of horse meat and exposure to infected individuals.

Other countries, including Thailand, Nepal, Taiwan, and Singapore, have also increased airport surveillance and health checks following the outbreak in India.