MOH starts Ebola screening

PUTRAJAYA: In a move to address the Ebola situation, the Health Ministry has begun screening people entering the country via airports and ports.
All temperature scanners at airports nationwide are ready to detect passengers with fever while health authorities have swung into action to screen sailors and passengers arriving via sea.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said while the ministry has activated its National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre, health officials manning airports and ports have been briefed on their standard operating procedures on Ebola detection.
He assured Malaysians that all proactive measures have been put in place to prevent the disease from entering the country.
In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead. Ebola is contracted through close contact with the blood, secretions and other bodily fluids of such animals. It then spreads through the same human to human contact and also by indirect exposure to environments contaminated with such fluids.
Those effected are usually caregivers like doctors, nurses, family members who cared for the patient and people handling the bodies of those who died of Ebola.
A Klang Port Authority source told theSun today that strict instructions were given out last week to carry out screening.
"Those with symptoms will be sent to the nearest hospital, where they will be isolated," he said, adding that symptoms include sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.
It is learned that port authorities will brief all operators and personnel on Ebola tomorrow.
Public and private universities have also heeded the Education Ministry's directive for their students to be screened at their country of origin and here. National University of Malaysia (UKM) director of corporate communications department Prof Madya Norzalita Abdul Aziz said the university would abide by the directive.
UKM has more than 3,000 foreign students, mostly pursuing post graduates courses.
University Putra Malaysia (UPM)'s deputy Vice-Chancellor for student affairs, Prof.Dr. Muhammad Shatar Sabron said foreign students are expected to arrive to Malaysia on September 1, 2014, for the 'new intake'.