Outbreak readiness

The laboratory confirmation of two Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal, India, which was recently relayed to the World Health Organization is a concerning development as it brings back memories of the COVID-19 pandemic and the poor response of our country’s health system to the threat. NiV is a zoonotic illness transmitted from animals to people, and has been confirmed in India, where two health workers from the same hospital were infected. Over 190 of their contacts that have been identified have all tested negative, and no further cases have been detected. However, it has drawn the spotlight to the gaps in the Philippines’ epidemic response system, and raised the question of whether the Department of Health has learned anything from the COVID-19 experience. The DOH has of course assured the public that it is prepared for NiV. However, such declarations have been met with the usual skepticism as we heard the same response during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic in late 2019, and even after our first COVID case was reported on January 30, 2020. The country’s Bureau of Quarantine has implemented border screening measures soon after India reported its 2 NiV cases. This includes carrying out health declarations for departing passengers and thermal scanning. Airports in neighboring countries have also heightened health screening measures, particularly for passengers arriving from India.