Bali authorities have added a second virus to its airport screening watch list after an outbreak of mpox, formerly called monkeypox, in Indonesia.
Aircraft crew and passengers will be temperature tested on arrival under proactive measures introduced to keep the tourist hotspot free of the viral illness.
Officials are already on guard over cases of the deadly Nipah virus that have emerged in India and are screening around the clock.
Watch the latest news and stream for free on 7plus >>
Thermal cameras have been installed at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, also known as Denpasar International Airport, to quickly assess the condition of passengers arriving on the holiday island.
Both domestic and international travellers will be tested.
Bali warning after tourist attacked by stray dog
The deadly virus that has Bali officials scrambling: ‘There is no treatment’
The airport’s general manager Handy Heyudhitiawan told local media the goal was to “maintain the safety and comfort of service users at the airport, as well as preventing the spread of mpox to the Bali region”.
The infectious disease which was can cause a painful rash or lesions, fever, headaches, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and is known to drain your energy.
“Most people fully recover, but some get very sick,” according to the World Health Organisation.
It comes amid simultaneous concerns over the threat of the deadly Nipah virus after cases were confirmed in India.
Indonesian officials took notice given India is second only to Australia when it comes to the number of tourists visiting Bali every year.
Bali arrivals will be screened at the airport amid an outbreak of mpox cases in Indonesia. Credit: MarioGuti/Getty Images
The Nipah virus can lead to acute respiratory illness, fever, headaches and fatal brain swelling and the case fatality rate is “estimated at 40 to 75 per cent”.
“At the airport, temperature detection devices are in place,” head of the Bali Provincial Health Office, I Nyoman Gede Anom said last month.
“If a tourist is found to have a body temperature above normal, it will prompt further inquiry.”
‘Shouldn’t define us’: Albanese wraps up historic trip to China
Airline passenger’s ‘secret’ trick to carrying extra clothes without paying extra
If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your Cookie Settings.
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.