KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — The Health Ministry (MOH) is monitoring the spread of hantavirus infections globally, said minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He said although there are reports of infections on a cruise ship in a neighbouring country, the situation is under control and does not involve Malaysians.
“MOH will continue to monitor the development of this outbreak at the global and regional levels to ensure border preparedness and the country's health system are at the optimum level,” he said in a Facebook post today.
Dzulkefly said hantavirus is a rodent-borne virus that can infect humans through contaminated air containing droppings, urine or saliva from infected animals.
“This infection should not be taken lightly as its complications can be fatal, with the mortality rate for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) reaching between 30 and 40 per cent,” he said in a Facebook post today.
He said preventive measures and individual precautions remain the most effective forms of protection, as there is no antiviral treatment for the infection.
He urged the public to pay attention to environmental cleanliness and ensure homes and workplaces are pest free.
“The public need not panic, but we must remain vigilant,” he said.
He also called on the public to refer to the infographic shared on his social media platforms for guidance on symptoms, modes of transmission and safe methods of cleaning animal waste.
According to the infographic, early symptoms include fever and chills, muscle aches, headaches, and fatigue, while severe symptoms include shortness of breath, low blood pressure, and kidney complications.
International media previously reported that several European countries have ramped up monitoring and quarantine measures following a hantavirus outbreak on the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius.
