The Department of Health (DOH) urged for a strengthened border surveillance and screening protocols in all ports and gateways nationwide to prevent the threats of the Nipah virus (NiV).
It said that all ports and gateways have designated Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) substations equipped with infrared thermal scanners which can be utilized in every arrival concourse. In its stations, two BOQ nurses are assigned to monitor the temperature of arriving passengers 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.
It further said that if a passenger needs to be referred to a medical facility, transfer to a DOH-designated hospital such as the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City would be arranged.
The DOH is now requiring passenger 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 said.
Nipah virus (NiV) is a highly fatal, zoonotic virus—found in fruit bats and pigs—that causes severe respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis in humans, with a mortality rate of 40%–75%.
In other countries, especially in India and Bangladesh, health authorities are emphasizing the avoidance of wildlife, particularly fruit bats, and contaminated food sources to prevent zoonotic transmission. The World Health Organization (WHO) also underscored that preventing interaction with natural, wild hosts is crucial, as there is no vaccine or specific cure for the highly lethal virus.
As of February 2026, there are no active or confirmed cases of the NiV in the country. The DOH has confirmed that NiV has not been detected in the country since 2014, when 17 cases were reported in Sultan Kudarat. Despite recent cases in India, the Philippines has no current, active infection.
