Travelers coming to Indonesia via Bali can apparently expect to get their temperatures read with a thermal scanner at Ngurah Rai International Airport.
Bali is upping its vigilance in screening for the Zika virus, an alarming mosquito-borne disease that researchers have recently said has made its way to Indonesia.
“If there is a traveler who has a body temperature detected of 38 degrees, then we’ll set them aside and place them in a room for evaluation and observation,” Port Health Office (KPP Kelas 1) head Dr. Susanto said in Denapsar, as quoted by Tribun Bali.
But don’t get too anxious about the temperature test—if travelers with high body temperatures are evaluated and found to be in healthy enough condition, then they will be released and given an ‘alert card’.
According to Susanto, people given alert cards must remain vigilant since the Zika virus incubation period is two weeks and will be made to visit the health services office in their area. “It’s not just tourists who are suspected (of having the virus) that will be isolated or quarantined,” Susanto said, explaining that the passengers sitting around the suspected infected travelers will be treated with care.
“Passengers who were two seats in front, left, right, and to the rear of the passenger suspected to be infected, will also be quarantined. This is to prevent them from being infected with the virus,” he added.
