Malaysia well-prepared amid Nipah virus concerns, says Dzulkefly

The health minister says the ministry is proactively monitoring reports of Nipah virus infection in India.

Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the nation’s ‘gatekeepers’ at all international airports, seaports, and land crossings were on high alert. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 The health ministry has assured the public that Malaysia’s health security system is well-prepared, following reports of confirmed Nipah virus cases in India that prompted tightened measures at major international airports.

In a post on X, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the ministry was proactively monitoring reports of Nipah virus infections in India.

“Our health security system is robust, tested, and ready. We are scaling our response proportionately to keep you safe,” he said.

Dzulkefly was commenting on a report that Thailand had begun tightening health screening at its major international airports after India confirmed five cases of Nipah virus, a disease with a mortality rate of up to 75%.

He said the nation’s “gatekeepers” at all international airports, seaports, and land crossings were on high alert.

Dzulkefly said his ministry is fully prepared, with strict health surveillance and traveller screening, ready-to-act protocols for symptomatic individuals, and emergency medical teams on standby.

He also said the ministry has been in direct contact with the World Health Organization (WHO) and relevant authorities to verify the latest epidemiological data.

“We act on science (evidence-based), not rumours. Any additional measures will be based on careful risk assessment and confirmed information,” he said.

Dzulkefly highlighted the importance of the government’s “One Health” approach, which monitors the links between humans, animals, and the environment.

“We build a defence system that is both preventive and precise,” he said.

BBC reported that Thailand had started screening passengers at three airports that receive travellers from West Bengal while Nepal also began screening arrivals at Kathmandu airport and other land border points with India.

The five cases of Nipah virus recorded earlier this month involve five healthcare workers in West Bengal, one of whom is in critical condition. Over 100 individuals who were in contact with them have been quarantined.

The WHO has listed Nipah among its top 10 priority diseases – alongside pathogens such as Covid-19 and Zika – due to its high potential to cause an epidemic. - FMT