MySejahtera updated to handle monkeypox infections

PETALING JAYA: From today onwards, travellers from countries with reported monkeypox cases will be given an alert on the MySejahtera app to monitor their health and symptoms for 21 days, says Heath Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

“As of Friday, the MySejahtera app will be updated so that passengers coming from countries where monkeypox is endemic or isn’t, will receive an alert,” he said, adding that in the event of an outbreak, the MySejahtera’s Home Surveillance Order (HSO) SOP will be replicated.

While there hasn’t been any monkeypox cases in Malaysia, he said these were precautionary measures to prevent an outbreak.

He said the Health Ministry will increase its diagnostic capabilities to screen monkeypox through the PCR test.

He also said public and private hospitals, as well as clinics, have been instructed by the Health Ministry to be ready in case monkeypox cases are detected.

Khairy also said that the Health Ministry is preparing vaccination strategies for close contacts and health workers in the event of a monkeypox outbreak in Malaysia.

“We will vaccinate those with close contacts, and also health workers attending to patients with monkeypox.

“For now, there are no plans for mass vaccination,” he told a virtual press conference on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday.

Among the symptoms of monkeypox are acute rashes, fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, muscle and body aches, back pain, and profound weakness.

Recently, monkeypox has been reported in France, Britain, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and several countries within the African continent.

On hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), Khairy said Selangor has the most cases, with 16,286 reported, followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (7,298), Perak (5,045), Kelantan (4,194) and Sabah (3,829).

Figures from January until May 25 this year showed most of the cases involved children below the age of six, where 52,846 cases were reported, while for children aged between seven and 12, there were 3,741 cases.

As at Wednesday, Khairy said only two children with HFMD required treatment at the intensive care unit (ICU) after contracting the enterovirus 71 (EV71) strain.

“The first child has gradually recovered, does not need respiratory aid and is being monitored at the ICU. The second child still needs respiratory aid but is in a stable condition.”