Malaysia actively monitors potential public health emergencies, says Health Minister

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has been actively monitoring potential public health emergencies since August last year, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pic), following reports of a new mpox strain discovered in China.

The Health Minister assured the public that sentinel surveillance had been activated at all international entry points since August 2024, after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years.

This action followed an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that spread to neighbouring countries and was initiated well before China’s recent identification of a new strain.

“I would like to assure everyone that the ministry has never let its guard down since.

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“We have maintained active engagement with our international counterparts, including the WHO, on this matter,” he said in a post on his official X account (formerly Twitter) on Thursday (Jan 9).

Dr Dzulkefly also advised the public to stay updated and access further information on the virus through mpox.moh.gov.my.

Earlier on Thursday, Chinese health authorities reported the detection of a new mutated mpox strain, clade Ib, within its borders as the viral infection continues to spread to more countries.

According to the authorities, the strain was identified following a cluster outbreak of the Ib subclade, originating from a foreigner with a history of travel and residence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

They added that the symptoms in the affected patients were currently mild, including skin rashes and blisters.

At present, mpox is known to spread through close contact and typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body. While these are usually mild, the infection can occasionally be fatal.