MOPH Declares Precautionary Measures Against Nipah Virus

Doha, June 01 (QNA) - Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) announced that it has taken a number of precautionary measures in cooperation with other relevant authorities in the country regarding virus Nipah in the light of the outbreak of the virus in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts in the southern Indian Kerala State. In a statement today, the ministry said it has tightened monitoring and control measures at state ports, urging citizens and residents to temporarily avoid unnecessary travel to Kerala state in India during this period, until the outbreak is contained in India, urging all travelers from Kerala go to the nearest health center or hospital in case they show any symptoms of fever within six weeks of returning from travel. The Joint Commission for the Control of Human Food has also adopted a temporary ban on the importation of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables from the state of Kerala for the current period until the epidemiological situation stabilizes there. The decision comes as a precautionary measure and follow-up of the situation in India and the implementation of international organizations' recommendations. World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines emphasize the necessity of washing and peeling fruit before consumption. The Ministry of Public Health also published the basic guideline of symptoms, Handling cases and infection control, and circulated these guidelines to liaison officers in all hospitals and health centers to ensure the rapid reporting of any suspected cases. This comes in the light of the Ministry of Public Health raising of the preparedness level to monitor and follow up developments in the outbreaks in the areas where the cases were registered by the World Health Organization's Global Outbreak Alert and Follow-up Network, in addition to the continuous evaluation of preventive measures in coordination with other competent authorities. The transitional diseases team in the Ministry of Public Health receives reports and queries relating to transitional diseases around the clock on the numbers 66740948 or 66740951. (QNA)