MANILA, Philippines (Reuters) — The Philippines on Friday (September 2) warned Filipino passengers to take precautionary measures when travelling to Zika-infected countries and announced additional surveillance measures for passengers arriving into the country.
“We are implementing stricter screening for our arriving passengers, especially from five countries in Asia. I would like to mention these countries: Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. These countries have either reported cases or a transport hub that could help spread Zika,” Bureau of Quarantine Director Ferchito Avelino told journalists at a news conference in Manila.
Screening measures have been stepped up at airports and seaports to stop the virus from entering the country.
Passengers from Zika-infected countries are now required to complete yellow health declaration cards and additional thermal scanners have been established in arrival areas.
Several airline passengers said they did not mind the new measures.
“You need to collect all the information for all the people going into the country. It’s safer for all the parties, it’s ok,” said Dominic, a Chinese tourist.
“I think it’s a necessary measure because there are others who come from other countries who are sick and needs the attention of our government,” said Fernando Bonifacio, a Filipino overseas worker.
Passengers who have fever or show other signs of the virus are immediately brought to a separate area for further tests and will be recommended for quarantine.
“If they manifest a positive illness, from here we can refer them to our designated hospitals,” said Noel Ramirez, a quarantine medical officer at the airport.
The Philippines recorded its first case in 2012 and has recorded five infected patients who came from Zika-striken countries.
It has not recorded any new infection since May 2016, the health ministry said.
The heightened alert came amid growing cases from its neighbouring Southeast Asian countries, with financial hub Singapore reporting 189 people infected with the mosquito-borne virus since the its first locally transmitted case six days ago.
Other parts of Southeast Asia have also reported dozens of cases of Zika, which in Brazil has been linked to thousands of suspected cases of microcephaly, a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized – as well as other brain abnormalities.
The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last year in Brazil, which has since confirmed more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly