Nipah scare affects UAE residents' travel plans

Dubai - Nipah virus is said to induce flu-like symptoms that often lead to encephalitis and coma.

Many UAE residents from the south Indian state of Kerala cancelled their travel plans to their hometowns in the wake of the Nipah virus (NiV) outbreak that has claimed 11 lives and left at least 40 quarantined.
Nipah virus is said to induce flu-like symptoms that often lead to encephalitis and coma. Fruit bats are considered the main carrier of the virus for which there is no vaccination, according to the World Health Organisation. 
Third Indian state checks suspect cases of Nipah virus
Layana, a school teacher in Sharjah, said that although she had booked tickets to Thiruvananthapuram for July, she has cancelled it tickets now. "I was initially thinking that this must be a seasonal disease. But with the death toll rising, I do not want to take any chances. From what I have heard and read in news, the virus kills in just a couple of days.
Although my place in southern Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, has not been affected, almost everyday I am hearing of someone dying due to this virus. That's why I have cancelled the plan to go this summer vacations and now may go in December."
Dubai resident Minosh Salam, who runs an IT software solutions firm, said: "I go to Thiruvananthapuram every two or three months to spend a few days with my aging parents. But as the news about the death toll rising and the government issuing travel advisory started coming in, my parents advised me to postpone my trip. I have cancelled my tickets though it was not fully refundable. I think I took the right decision because it's better safe than sorry."
"My place is quite far (8 or 9 hours away) from where the virus has struck but still my parents and I do not want to take a chance, especially when there is no emergency to go. The Indian government as well as the UAE health ministry have issued directives for the people advising them to avoid gatherings and unnecessary trips in order to prevent spread of this virus. The WHO has issued a high alert about NiV, and hence we need to abide by the warning. I will wait till this issue subsides and hopefully find a safer window to fly down later," Salam added.
Although no official statement was given out from the Indian missions in the UAE, a source from the ministry said: "We have not issued any advisory so far. We generally do it once we get some direction from the headquarters. I personally feel that there is not such a requirement now."
Another Dubai resident said: "My folks stay in Kozhikode, which is affected by this virus and I am quite worried for them. I spoke to my sister yesterday and she said that after the reports of the outbreak, the streets wear a deserted look, malls are empty and there is hardly any traffic on the roads. All this points to the fact that people are quite scared in the city. We were planning to travel this month to Kozhikode but after I met a few of my hometown people at an Iftar in Dubai, everyone advised us not to travel at least for the next few months. So we have cancelled our traveling plans for now. We have to attend a few weddings in August in Kozhikode. Hopefully by then it would come under control."
The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (Mohap) on Thursday said that it was closely monitoring the situation and advised people to put off unnecessary travel to Kerala, India for the time being.
saman@khaleejtimes.com

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