Deputy Health Minister inspects infectious disease surveillance and testing at Yangon International Airport

The Deputy Minister of Health inspected the surveillance of infectious diseases that could pose a public health emergency, including Nipah virus, at Yangon International Airport, the Ministry of Health announced.

Deputy Minister of Health, Professor Dr. Aye Htun, accompanied by Deputy Directors-General, Directors, Deputy Directors and officials from the Department of Public Health, Central Infectious Disease Control Division, Yangon Region Public Health Department and Immigration Port Health Unit (Yangon), and officials from other departments at the airport, inspected the surveillance of passengers arriving from abroad at Yangon International Airport for infectious diseases that could pose a public health emergency, including Nipah virus, on the afternoon of January 29, 2026.

The Deputy Director and officials of the Immigration Port Health Unit explained the health screening of passengers arriving from abroad in accordance with the established guidelines to prevent the spread of infectious diseases from abroad into Myanmar, the monitoring of passengers arriving from India for fever and other suspected symptoms of Nipah virus, the distribution of pamphlets and posters to travelers regarding Nipah virus as part of a health awareness program, and the cooperation with other departments at the airport in carrying out disease prevention and control activities. The Deputy Minister gave instructions on the necessary matters and also gave instructions on coordinating and coordinating with officials from related departments at the airport on matters to be cooperated with.

The Ministry of Health has announced that the Nipah virus has been detected in bordering countries, but the Nipah virus, which is transmitted through bats, has not been detected in Myanmar.

In addition, the Ministry of Health has issued a notice to travellers who have recently traveled to an affected area and upon returning to their home country, if they experience any suspected illnesses such as severe fever and headache, cough and difficulty breathing, confusion or drowsiness, to immediately report to the airport health center or health workers at border entry and exit points. If they experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms within 14 days of returning from an affected area, they should immediately contact the nearest health center and inform the doctor of their travel history to the affected area and receive necessary tests and treatments in a timely manner. If there are any suspicious symptoms in the family who have returned from affected areas, or if there are any unusual deaths of animals (pigs and bats) in their living environment, they should immediately notify the nearest health center.

The virus was first identified in 1999 in Sungai Nipar in Malaysia, and was named Nipah virus after the place where it was first identified.

The virus has previously caused outbreaks in several countries in Asia, including Malaysia, Singapore, and Bangladesh.

The virus has a higher mortality rate than COVID-19, with 40 to 75 percent of those infected dying.

The World Health Organization has warned that the virus could become a pandemic and has urged urgent research.