KUALA LUMPUR – There has been no reported cases of monkeypox yet in Malaysia, but the Health Ministry is geared up for any eventualities, its minister Khairy Jamaluddin said, as the outbreak shows no signs of slowing down globally.
In a short video uploaded on Twitter, Khairy said his ministry has established a strategic plan to contend with any potential risk of the virus arriving on the country’s shores.
Satu pelan strategik telah disediakan oleh @KKMPutrajaya untuk menghadapi risiko kemasukan kes cacar monyet ke Malaysia. Pengembara yang tiba dari negara yang telah melaporkan kes ini akan menerima Health Alert di MySejahtera selama 21 hari untuk pemantauan kesihatan kendiri. pic.twitter.com/P7jC5zMIKt
— Khairy Jamaluddin ??? (@Khairykj) June 8, 2022
This includes a notification and detection process, sampling, investigation and case management, close contact tracing, and active monitoring at all international entry points such as airports.
He also noted that since May 27, the Health Ministry has added monkeypox health alerts to the MySejahtera mobile app.
“After travellers fill up their pre-departure form on MySejahtera, those who arrive from a country with a monkeypox endemic status or countries with reported cases will receive health alerts as a reminder to conduct self-surveillance for 21 days.”
On a similar note, Khairy also advised Malaysians travelling overseas, particularly to countries with a monkeypox outbreak, to practise caution and avoid activities that may lead to infection.
“If you experience any symptoms, get immediate medical attention,” he said.
An ongoing outbreak was confirmed last month from a cluster of cases in the United Kingdom, with the first recognised case reported to involve an individual with a travel history to Nigeria, where monkeypox is categorised as endemic.
According to the United States’ Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are over 1,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox currently recorded in 29 countries, including the US, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
In a press conference on May 26, Khairy had said that there is currently no need for a mass vaccination drive against the virus, and that the vaccine will only be given to close contacts.
Monkeypox is related to smallpox, which killed millions around the world every year before it was eradicated in 1980, although the former is known to be less severe, with most people recovering within a month.
Initial symptoms include high fever, swollen lymph nodes and a blistery chickenpox-like rash. – The Vibes, June 8, 2022
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