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29 Jan 2026 / Pakistan

Nipah Virus preventative measures

The Government of Pakistan has announced strict preventative measures at the seaports of Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar in light of the outbreak of Nipah Virus in South-East Asia.

For Ship Crew

  • Health Surveillance Onboard
    - Daily health monitoring of all crew members throughout voyage
    - Any crew member developing fever, headache, cough, sore throat, breathing difficulty, vomiting or altered mental state shall be treated as a suspect case

  • Isolation & Reporting
    - Any suspected or symptomatic crew member to be immediately isolated throughout the voyage
    - Such cases to be reported to the Port health Office prior to arrival

  • Maritime Declaration of Health (MDH)
    - Submission of a true, complete and accurate Maritime Declaration of Health is mandatory before berthing
    - Travel history of the ship and crew for the last 21 days, particularly visits to affected regions, shall be clearly declared

  • Personal Hygiene and Protective Measures
    - Crew members shall observe strict hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
    - Face masks shall be used by symptomatic individuals and caregivers

  • Food, Water and Animal Contact
    - Consumption of raw or partially eaten fruits, especially those exposed to animals, is discouraged
    - Use of unpasteurized date palm oil is strictly prohibited
    - Contact with bats, pigs or other wild animals during port stay or shore leave shall be avoided.

For Agencies and Other Port Staff
All officers and staff of Customs, Port Security Force (PSF), FIA, other port staff and all sister/allied agencies shall strictly follow the below:

  • Face Mask
    - Use of face mask is advised while interacting with ship crew, passengers or any person showing symptoms of illness
    - Symptomatic individuals and those attending or dealing with them shall wear a face mask

  • Hand Sanitation
    - Hand sanitation using alcohol-based hand sanitizer or washing with soap and water shall be carried out before and after every interaction with ship crew, documents or equipment
    - Hand hygiene shall be maintained at regular intervals during the day

  • Physical Distancing
    - Where a face mask is not available, minimum physical distancing or at least 1 metre shall be strictly maintained
    - Unnecessary close contact, prolonged face-to-face interaction and physical handling of documents shall be avoided as far as practicable

Port Health Officers may conduct medical screening, health inspection and physical handling of ships and crew upon arrival, as deemed necessary. Ships may be subjected to isolation, quarantine or other public health measures.

For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Pakistan, contact GAC at [email protected]


If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.

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