Stringent Health Screening At Kelantan Entry Points To Curb Nipah Virus

KOTA BHARU, Feb 1 (Bernama) -- The Kelantan Health Department has implemented health screening at the state’s main entry points as an early preventive measure to curb the potential spread of the Nipah virus (NiV).

Its director, Datuk Dr Mohd Azman Yacob, said the precautionary step aims to detect any risk of imported NiV cases, particularly involving individuals arriving from India.

He said screening operations have been conducted over the past week at the Rantau Panjang Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex, the Bukit Bunga ICQS in Tanah Merah and the Pengkalan Kubor ICQS in Tumpat.

“A total of 120 health personnel, including medical officers, assistant environmental health officers and nurses, have been deployed at these entry points to conduct screenings, including body temperature scans.

“Individuals identified as high-risk will undergo interviews and further screening,” he told reporters after launching the state-level ‘Sihat Itu Saya’ programme at the Padang Perdana Tennis Courts here today.

Dr Mohd Azman said similar screening measures are also being carried out at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport, particularly involving passengers on direct flights from Singapore to Kota Bharu.

“For passengers arriving from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, screening has already been conducted by officers from the Ministry of Health. At the state level, we are focusing on direct international flights,” he said.

According to earlier media reports, India’s Ministry of Health had confirmed two cases of NiV infection in West Bengal, with the World Health Organisation categorising the virus as a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans, as well as through contaminated food and direct human-to-human contact.

On a different issue, he said the department seized non-notified cosmetic products worth RM55,213 in Kelantan throughout last year.

-- BERNAMA