Malaysia Tightens Border Security Amid Hantavirus Fears

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Malaysia will tighten measures to combat a potential hantavirus outbreak, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad

He said these measures are necessary as public health challenges are now global in nature, adding that no country is safe without continuous precautionary measures, reported Bernama.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the National Tobacco Control Conference and Lung Health Summit yesterday, 10 May, he said authorities do not want to be alarmist, but also do not want the public to become complacent by assuming the risk is only confined abroad.

Dr Dzulkefly said border control measures will be tightened through health screenings at airports, seaports, and major entry points

Under these preventative measures, a total of 22,367 ships and boats have been inspected at Malaysian entry points so far, with 2,421 pratique certificates and 1,146 ship sanitation certificates issued.

A pratique certificate is an official clearance issued by port authorities certifying that a vessel is free from infectious diseases and may dock, allow disembarkation, and operate normally.

Hantavirus is a rodent-borne infection with a mortality rate of around 30% to 40%

The virus is primarily airborne and spreads when rodent droppings, urine, or saliva are aerosolised and inhaled by humans, according to National Geographic.

The animals themselves are unaffected by the virus.

Three people have died in an outbreak aboard the Dutch vessel MV Hondius after it departed Argentina, with more than 90 passengers set be be evacuated to their home countries.

A 42-day quarantine period has been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for those affected.

No cases of hantavirus infections have been reported in Malaysia so far.