ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has imposed strict health screening measures at all international entry points after two cases of the deadly Nipah virus were confirmed in India’s West Bengal, amid growing regional concern over the highly fatal infection.
In a health advisory issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination directed that no individual would be allowed to enter Pakistan without clearance from Border Health Services (BHS).
The ministry said the decision was taken “in view of the recent regional alert regarding Nipah virus (NiV), as reported through international and regional public health surveillance mechanisms, including the WHO South-East Asia Region Epidemiological Bulletin (January 2026).” The advisory cited the virus’s high fatality rate, zoonotic nature and potential for human-to-human transmission as key concerns.
To prevent cross-border transmission and ensure early detection, enhanced surveillance has been ordered at all points of entry, including international airports, seaports and land crossings.
“No individual is allowed entry into Pakistan without health clearance by Border Health Services–Pakistan,” the advisory stated.
Under the new directives, 100 per cent screening will be conducted for all passengers, transit travellers, crew members, drivers, helpers and support staff. Mandatory verification of country of origin and complete travel history for the previous 21 days will be carried out for all travellers, regardless of nationality.
Special focus will be placed on individuals arriving from or transiting through Nipah-affected or high-risk areas, with any false declarations to be documented and reported immediately.
“All travellers will undergo thermal screening and clinical assessment at the point of entry,” the advisory said, adding that screening staff had been instructed to watch for symptoms such as fever, headache, respiratory complaints and neurological signs including confusion or drowsiness.
Suspected cases will be isolated and managed in accordance with infection prevention and control (IPC) protocols and referred to designated isolation facilities or tertiary care hospitals. Affected conveyances and surrounding areas will be disinfected as per approved standard operating procedures.
The ministry stressed strict compliance with IPC measures, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), hand hygiene and environmental sanitation, warning that any lapse would be treated as serious negligence.
“Daily reports from all points of entry will be recorded in the BHS-P system and shared with the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and the National IHR Focal Point. These measures will remain in force until further notice,” the advisory said.
Meanwhile, authorities in several Asian countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia, have also stepped up screening measures, introducing airport temperature checks and enhanced surveillance to prevent the virus from spreading beyond India.
What is Nipah virus?
Nipah is a rare but highly dangerous viral infection that primarily spreads from infected animals — particularly fruit bats — to humans. While some infections may be asymptomatic, the disease often causes severe illness, with a case fatality rate ranging from 40 to 75 per cent, depending on healthcare system capacity, according to the World Health Organisation.
The virus can also spread from person to person, though not easily, and outbreaks are typically limited in scale. No approved vaccine or specific treatment is currently available, though several candidate vaccines are under development.
