KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry today reiterated that no decision has been made to ban all flights from China to Malaysia following the coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, which has claimed more than 250 lives to date.
Despite having many cities in China currently in lockdown, with flight services between Wuhan and local international airports temporarily suspended, any decision on the matter made would require a policy that is well-informed, justified and based on available information.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said as the situation continued to evolve, the strategic goals and measures to prevent and reduce the spread of the infection had to be reviewed.
“As of now, there is neither a travel ban nor restriction of flights from China recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and timely based on the continuous evaluation of the circumstances in the country and region.
“However, if the situation compels us to do so, we will look into introducing additional measures in the future,” he said in a statement today.
Yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the 2019-nCoV outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
WHO, when declaring the PHEIC, said that there was “no reason” for any of the international travel or trade restrictions announced in recent days by several countries, such as flight suspensions, border closures and quarantine for apparently healthy travelers.
Countries have been advised to inform WHO about travel measures taken, as required by the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005).
In addition, countries were also cautioned against actions that promote stigma or discrimination, in line with the principles of Article 3 of the IHR.
Dr Noor Hisham said Malaysia welcomed the declaration and had been on high alert in strengthening the surveillance at all international entry points even before the PHEIC was announced, include the installation of thermal scanner machines, referrals from the Immigration Department and Self Declaration.
There are currently 54 thermal scanners placed at 35 international entry points with high traveler load. Twenty-five more scanners are expected to arrive soon and will be located at high priority areas.
“We initiated our preparedness and response plans in containing the spread of 2019-nCoV even before the first few cases were detected in the country.
“More importantly, we have taken the necessary steps way before WHO declared the 2019-nCoV outbreak as a PHEIC.
“Among the measures we have taken over and above the WHO recommendation is performing throat swabs to detect the virus on asymptomatic individuals who have had close contacts with positive cases.
“This sampling is done through a laborious process called ‘contact tracing’. I would like to thank the hardworking health staff on the ground who have been tireless in seeking out these ‘close contact’ individuals.”
Dr Noor Hisham also said Malaysia was leading the Asean Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) network, actively engaging with Asean Member States on situation updates and data sharing, which among others is to promote detection response and communication to prevent the spread of the virus.
He said the Asean Risk Assessment and Risk Communication Centre, hosted by Malaysia, was engaged to disseminate preventive and control measures, including combating false news and information circulated in the social media.
The Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General under the IHR regarding the outbreak, he added, believed that the virus could still be contained.
“This is provided that countries put in place robust measures to detect disease early, isolate and treat cases, trace contacts, and promote social distancing measures commensurate with the risk,” he said.