Australia closely monitoring outbreak of Nipah virus: health minister

Alsharq Tribune-AFP 

Australia's health minister said on Friday that the government is closely monitoring the outbreak of the Nipah virus in Asia.

Mark Butler told Nine Network television that the Nipah virus has never been detected in Australia, but that authorities were taking the threat posed by an outbreak that began in India in December very seriously.

"The Indian authorities tell us they've got that outbreak under control, but nonetheless, we're monitoring it very, very closely, because this is a very serious virus," he said.

Authorities in Indonesia on Thursday implemented stricter monitoring for passengers arriving from overseas at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, which is the most popular overseas destination for Australian travelers.

Butler said on Friday that Australia has clear protocols in place for sick travelers arriving from overseas and that the government has not received any advice to change those protocols.

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease transmitted between animals and humans and, in some instances, through human-to-human contact. It is classified as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization due to its epidemic potential and the severity of illness it can cause.