[UPDATED] MySejahtera to start providing monkeypox health alerts for travellers: KJ

KUALA LUMPUR – The MySejahtera app will start providing health alerts to travellers coming from countries with confirmed cases of monkeypox to conduct self-surveillance for up to 21 days, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

In a press conference today, he said other measures will also be enacted by public health officials for the early detection and prevention of the spread of monkeypox.

“Malaysians in monkeypox endemic countries or countries with confirmed cases are advised not to conduct any activities that could lead to the spread of the disease.”

Currently, countries that have classified monkeypox as endemic are Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria.

Public health officials at international gateways are also trained to spot monkeypox symptoms for early prevention, said Khairy.

He added that close contacts of monkeypox cases will be vaccinated.

To date, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the US have reported cases of monkeypox.

Khairy said currently there is no need for a mass vaccination drive against the virus.

Similar to Covid-19, a PCR test can detect the monkeypox virus.

Meanwhile, 57,510 cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) have been recorded from January 1 to May 25 this year, compared with 2,333 cases, or a 24-fold increase, in the same period last year.

“However, if compared with the same period for 2019, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, there was an increase of 27,664 cases in 2022, or only twice as much.”

Khairy said the HFMD outbreak since April 2022 was caused by the reopening of preschools, daycare centres and kindergartens, in tandem with the country moving into the endemic phase of Covid-19.

Some 52,846 cases or 92% have been detected in children below the age of six while another 3,741 or 7% were detected in kids between the ages of 7 and 12, with 99% of cases involving children under the age of 12.

As such, Khairy said public health officials are engaging with all relevant stakeholders to educate them on the best practices to mitigate the spread of the disease, including town hall sessions with teachers and daycare operators.

He also advises daycare owners to clean their premises, screen students or children for HFMD symptoms to prevent transmission, practise good hygiene and properly dispose of diapers and other waste. – The Vibes, May 26, 2022