“We are maintaining vigilance and coordinating with the agricultural office to ensure heightened alertness against the Nipah virus in livestock,” said Head of Disease Prevention and Control at the Bali Health Office, I Gusti Ayu Raka Susanti, on Thursday.
She explained that the Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease transmitted through animals.
The virus is primarily carried by bats and can be transmitted to pigs, as seen during the 1998 outbreak in Malaysia, which ultimately led to the mass culling of pigs due to the risk of transmission to humans.
Although there have been no recorded cases of Nipah virus transmission through pigs in Indonesia, the Bali Health Office remains cautious, given that Bali island is the country’s largest pork-producing region.
“The Nipah virus is present in the saliva of bats. When bats eat fruit, their saliva can contaminate it, and then humans or animals such as pigs can become infected. This is what we need to be wary of,” Susanti said.
In addition to preventing transmission from animal carriers, the office is also tightening controls on potential virus entry through human movement, with monitoring conducted by the Health Quarantine Center at airports and seaports.
Countries under heightened surveillance include Malaysia, Singapore, India, Bangladesh, and Thailand, which have declared extraordinary event status related to the Nipah virus.
To date, no Nipah virus cases have been detected in Bali. Nevertheless, the Bali Provincial Government continues to carry out health surveillance to monitor potential transmission.
Susanti said all health facilities are considered prepared, including the availability of isolation rooms, medical personnel, and medicines.
“In Bali, there are 120 community health centers (Puskesmas). Each district already has a regional general hospital (RSUD), and private hospitals are also equipped with isolation rooms and trained staff. We are confident in our readiness because we have learned from the COVID-19 experience,” she said.
The Nipah virus shares several similarities with COVID-19, including flu-like symptoms and fever. However, it can cause more severe complications, such as pneumonia and encephalitis, with a case fatality rate ranging from 45 to 75 percent.
The Bali Provincial Government has urged the public to help prevent the spread of the virus by practicing clean and healthy living habits, particularly regular handwashing and avoiding the consumption of fruit that is considered unsafe.
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Translator: Ni Putu Putri M, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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