By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday ordered stricter health checks at all its airports, seaports and land borders to block the possible spread of the deadly Nipah virus from neighbouring India, where two cases were confirmed last month.
The move, effective immediately, requires full screening of every incoming traveller, including crew and support staff, and aims to catch any signs of the brain-swelling illness that has a fatality rate of up to 75% and no approved vaccine or treatment.
Authorities cited a regional alert from the World Health Organization and other surveillance networks, pointing to suspected cases in India’s West Bengal state as the trigger for the heightened measures. Border Health Services-Pakistan, a unit under the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, issued the advisory mandating 100% screening at all entry points without exception.
“No individual shall be allowed entry into Pakistan without health clearance by BHS-P,” the advisory stated. It called for mandatory checks on each traveller’s country of origin and full travel history over the previous 21 days, regardless of nationality. Special attention must be paid to those coming from or transiting through high-risk areas, with any false declarations or hidden details to be documented and reported for action, according to the instructions.
Travellers will face thermal scans and clinical assessments, with staff trained to watch for early symptoms like fever, headache, breathing issues or neurological problems such as confusion or drowsiness. Any suspected case must be isolated on the spot, barred from further travel, and handled under strict infection control rules, the advisory said. Such individuals would then be transferred to a designated isolation unit or major hospital, in coordination with local health officials, while the affected aircraft, ship or vehicle and nearby areas are disinfected per standard procedures.
The advisory also stressed rigorous adherence to protective measures, including required use of personal gear, hand washing and cleaning of surroundings. It warned that any slip in surveillance or infection controls would be viewed as serious negligence. Daily reports on cases or lack thereof must be logged in the existing Border Health Services system and shared with the National Command and Operation Centre and the country’s focal point for international health regulations. The instructions remain in effect until further notice, with no tolerance for delays, weak monitoring, under-reporting or non-compliance.
Pakistan’s actions align with similar steps by Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia following India’s detection of the two Nipah cases in December. The virus, carried by fruit bats and animals like pigs, can jump to humans and spread person-to-person via close contact, sparking rapid outbreaks. The WHO lists it as a priority pathogen due to its high death toll – 40% to 75% – and absence of licensed vaccines or cures, though several are under development and testing.
Separately, Pakistan’s National Institute of Health issued its own alert to provincial health departments, medical providers and border services, highlighting the emerging threat in South Asia. While Pakistan has no reported human cases yet, the alert noted: “As of January 2026, an outbreak has been confirmed in West Bengal, India.” It urged stronger monitoring for unexplained brain inflammation, unified protocols for isolation and sample handling, public and staff education on transmission risks, and readiness of emergency response teams.
Microbiologist Prof Dr Javaid Usman told local media the virus was named after a Malaysian location and spreads via bat or pig droppings. “If cases were reported in Pakistan, it would be through carriers,” he said, adding that recent reports in India’s Bengal state prompted screenings in nearby countries. Symptoms include fever and brain-related issues, with potential for seizures. “The virus can spread through respiratory droplets, saliva and the blood of a patient who has tested positive. So positive samples are kept in isolation,” Usman said.
Dr Mumtaz Ali Khan, chief of the Centre for Disease Control at the National Institutes of Health, described this as the 51st outbreak since 2001. “Although we have issued advisories to alert airport authorities, there are very few chances of identifying patients as the incubation period of the virus is 9 to 14 days,” he told Dawn newspaper.
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