Marcos orders strict monitoring of Nipah virus

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January 30, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has ordered relevant agencies to ensure the safety of the public from the Nipah virus, which has triggered concerns in Asia because of its high fatality rate.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Department of Health (DOH) and the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) are monitoring the virus.

She added that the DOH protocols are in line with the new updates issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“The DOH has given assurance that it remains on alert and the proactive screening of our border using on arrival scanning, trained observation and thorough examination of online health declarations is in place,” Castro said.

She said the government is also conducting an information campaign about the common symptoms of the Nipah virus like fever, headache and breathing difficulty and the modes of transmission like direct contact from animals like bats and pigs as well as contaminated fruits.

Meanwhile, infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante urged the public, especially the elderly and those with comorbidities, to wear face masks and continue practicing basic health habits such as handwashing.

He stressed it is best to be vigilant since any traveler can bring the virus here in the country.

Though he said no strict international border control is needed, regular health check should continuously be conducted by the BOQ.

“We will never be safe in any outbreak especially if it’s in Asia or Asia Pacific. We have Nipah virus in 2014, and that only means the fruit bat that carries the virus may also be found here,” Solante said.

According to WHO, the Nipah virus, which can be deadly, is transmitted through several pathways, including from animals to humans primarily through fruit bats via contaminated food, or directly between humans.

The symptoms include flu, but others had swelling in the brain or encephalitis and meningitis acquired by eating horsemeat and having interaction with a sick person. — Rhodina Villanueva