Kazakhstan steps up border controls over Nipah virus outbreak in India

Kazakhstan has strengthened sanitary and quarantine controls at all border checkpoints following an outbreak of the Nipah virus in India, Orda.kz reported, citing the Kazakh Ministry of Health.

Health authorities said heightened screening measures are being applied, with particular attention paid to travellers arriving from India and countries in Southeast Asia. Medical institutions across the country have been placed on alert to respond to a potential importation of the infection.

Emergency response teams and infectious disease hospitals are fully prepared, while reserve stocks of medicines, personal protective equipment and disinfectants have been secured, the ministry said.

“We advise those planning trips to endemic countries to strictly follow preventive measures. If symptoms appear after returning, it is important to seek medical attention immediately and inform doctors about the country you visited,” the Health Ministry’s press service stated.

Nipah is a zoonotic virus transmitted through close contact with infected individuals or animals, including bats and pigs. It can also spread via contaminated food and beverages.

Symptoms may include high fever, headache and general weakness. In severe cases, the disease can lead to central nervous system damage and pneumonia. There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Nipah virus, and medical care remains primarily supportive.

By Vugar Khalilov