Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, one of the main gateways for foreign tourists to Indonesia, has recently increased its vigilance as the Nipah virus continues to spread in India.
According to Gede Eka Sandi Asmadi, the airport’s Head of the Communication and Legal Division, all airport personnel are committed to strict and comprehensive monitoring to prevent the transmission of the Nipah virus in the arrivals area. However, to date, there are no specific controls in place for Indian nationals or flights from India.
“In connection with the increasing number of Nipah virus cases, particularly in India, we are intensively coordinating with the Denpasar Class I Health Quarantine Centre regarding airport surveillance,” said Asmadi to the press on Wednesday, the 28th of January.
Regarding India-related flight services at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, there is currently one daily service each to New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. Furthermore, regular flights from India to Bali are operated by two airlines—IndiGo and Air India—providing round-trip services to those three major cities.
If a passenger exhibits symptoms, the Health Quarantine Centre will refer them to Prof. Dr. I.G.N.G. Ngoerah General Hospital in Denpasar.
“In terms of Nipah Virus surveillance, there are two thermal scanners at international arrivals: one at domestic arrivals, and [the other] one at the VIP terminal,” underscored Asmadi as well.
The airport has recorded that, on average, it serves 24,000 passengers arriving and departing on all Indian routes per month, meaning it handles approximately 792 passengers per day. Nevertheless, the Head of the Communications and Public Information Bureau of the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Aji Muhawarman, emphasised that Indonesia, to date, remains free of the Nipah virus.
“To date, there have been no confirmed cases of Nipah virus disease reported in Indonesia,” said Muhawarman.
Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah virus infection can cause severe illness in humans, ranging from respiratory infections to fatal encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). The primary natural hosts of the Nipah virus are fruit bats of the genus Pteropus, also known as flying foxes. These bats act as a natural reservoir of the virus, meaning they can carry it without showing any symptoms. The virus can then be transmitted to other animals, such as pigs, or directly to humans.