The Ministry of Health and Protection and airport authorities in the UAE are on the lookout for anyone who may be infected with the nipah virus, and are actively monitoring for air passengers who may have been in contact with the virus. The authorities have also asked anyone with symptoms of nipah to come forward for further testing.
First off, there is no need for widespread alarm or panic. Such warnings from health authorities are common. What is of relevance now is that there has been an outbreak of nipah in Kerala, and there are exceedingly close ties between the Indian state and the UAE. With so many flights daily between the two destinations, and with close contact, it’s a prudent step by health authorities to issue such a warning.
The nipah virus itself can cause encephalitis — a dangerous swelling of the brain — and common symptoms very from none to elevated fevers, cough, headache, shortness of breath and confusion. What is interesting about nipah is that it is largely spread by bats. Indeed, it’s this aspect of the current outbreak of nipah that has also caught the attention of authorities in the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment. On Tuesday, officials there acted swiftly to announce that 100 tonnes of fruit, vegetables and fresh produce that was to be imported in the UAE from Kerala was prohibited from entry. There simply was no way of guaranteeing that the produce was safe for human consumption while the nipah outbreak continues in Kerala. The moral here is that we in the UAE are well served by officials who act swiftly to protect us all from public health threats.
