Source : WAM
Singapore will introduce temperature checks for travellers arriving on flights from regions affected by Nipah virus outbreaks, the Communicable Diseases Agency announced on Wednesday. The Ministry of Manpower will also enhance monitoring of newly arrived migrant workers from South Asia and collaborate with its network of primary care providers to heighten alertness.
These steps are part of Singapore’s initial response to the Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal, where two cases have been confirmed. Authorities said Singapore is closely tracking developments, noting that this is India’s seventh recorded Nipah outbreak since 2001.
Nipah virus is primarily spread through contact with bats, as well as the consumption of date palm sap or fruit contaminated by bats. The agency added that ongoing bio-surveillance of Singapore’s bat populations, conducted since 2011, has not detected the virus locally.
