DDC says no Nipah virus cases found in Thailand, drills continue
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) said today, February 16, that no Nipah virus infections have been detected in the country, while officials continue preparedness exercises and communications to reduce confusion and any potential risk of spread.
The department’s director-general, Dr Montien Kanasawat, said Thailand had been closely monitoring disease developments overseas while maintaining active, ongoing surveillance at home.
He stressed that there are currently no confirmed Nipah virus patients in the country.
Despite the absence of cases, Dr Montien said the department is continuing strict measures for surveillance, screening and preparedness in line with its public health emergency response plan.
He said the latest readiness activities focused on reviewing and strengthening performance across the full operational process.
It covered several key areas, including screening systems for travellers entering and leaving the country, coordination of information among working groups, systematic disease investigation and contact tracing, and risk communication to the public, he said.
The department also conducted a table-top exercise based on a simulated scenario to test the readiness of its agencies and partner networks.
Dr Montien said the exercise examined operational flows, standard operating procedures, as well as plans and policies, to assess whether they were effective and workable in a real emergency.
Deputy director-general Dr Direk Khampaen said that even though Thailand had not found any patients, continued rehearsal of preparedness processes remained essential for prevention and for limiting potential impacts.
He added that ongoing exercises would help ensure an effective response and build long-term confidence in Thailand’s public health system.
The Department of Disease Control reaffirmed that Thailand has a strong surveillance system and a robust public health emergency response mechanism, and said it was ready to integrate cooperation with all sectors to protect public health to the greatest extent.
Similarly, Phuket International Airport has stepped up health screening for passengers arriving from India, following a Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal, now under active surveillance by Thai health authorities. Although Thailand has not reported any Nipah cases, the Department of Disease Control is enforcing strict surveillance at international airports.
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