The health ministry has started mandatory health declaration forms at the entry points to prevent the outbreak of Nipah virus in the country.
In Phuentshogling, a team of health workers are now monitoring non-Bhutanese entering the country at the check-posts. They have to fill the health declaration forms and are screened to test the symptoms of Nipah virus. Bhutanese entering the country from affected areas are also screened.
Anyone with symptoms such as fever, dizziness, body ache, diarrhoea and nausea will be asked to visit the hospital. If suspected, the person will then be kept into isolation. So far no suspected case has been detected.
“We have surveillance system in place with the health workers at the point of entries. And we are monitoring particularly the Indian nationals entering the country and also Bhutanese students returning from Kerala,” Gopal Hingmang, the Senior District Health Officer of Chhukha said.
Nipah Virus is known to infect both humans and animals and can be transmitted from animals such as bats and pigs to human and from human to human.
Currently there is no vaccine for the Nipah virus infection. Nipah virus was first detected in Malaysia in 1998.
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