KUCHING: Sarawak continues to strengthen its surveillance on yellow fever, said State Health Director Dr Jamilah Hashim.
She pointed out that so far, no cases of yellow fever reported in Malaysia.
“We do not have direct flights from yellow fever-infected countries to Sarawak.
“The Department of Immigration will continue to assist in the screening of yellow fever vaccination certificates for travellers arriving from yellow fever countries or those who have visited the yellow fever countries within the incubation period,” she told New Sarawak Tribune when contacted yesterday.
Dr Jamilah stressed that the department had been closely monitoring and ensuring that all points of entry were free from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the vectors for yellow fever.
“All district health offices have been alerted to continue and strengthen the surveillance on yellow fever,” she said.
Dr Jamilah pointed out that in Malaysia, it was a requirement for all travellers who arrived from yellow fever countries, including Nigeria, to have valid certificates for yellow fever vaccination.
“The screening is carried out at all international points of entry. As for Malaysia, it is at KLIA. All international flights are also required to carry out disinfection of aircrafts.
“Travellers without valid yellow fever vaccination certificates will be quarantined upon arrival in Malaysia.
“We will continue to work closely with Department of Immigration and all relevant agencies to strengthen our surveillance at point of entries and ensure that the infection is not brought or imported into the state,” she added.
Meanwhile, a press statement by Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah stated that yellow fever in northern Nigeria had claimed 16 lives.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) lists 29 countries in Africa and 13 in southern and central America as high-risk yellow fever areas.
Foreigners and Malaysians travelling to Malaysia from these high-risk countries can be quarantined for up to six days upon entry into the country.
He said the Health Ministry took note of the outbreak of yellow fever on Aug 1 in Nigeria as contained in a situation report of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control obtained by the Disease Control Division of the ministry.
