KUALA LUMPUR: The authorities have enforced stricter screening and monitoring at all points nationwide to prevent the spread of Ebola in the country.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport health official Dr Azmi Abdul Rahim said passengers arriving on international flights would go through a temperature scanner before they proceeded to Immigration counters.
Dr Azmi said passengers were divided into two groups — yellow-fever risk countries and non-yellow-fever risk countries.
The yellow-fever risk countries are Africa, Central America and South America.
All passengers from this group are referred to the quarantine room for further screening.
“They will be examined using an infra-red thermometer and we will check whether they have travelled to the six high-risk countries recently.
“These are countries that have been affected by the Ebola outbreak, namely Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal and Republic of Congo.
“If they are not from the six high-risk countries and their temperature is below 37.5 degrees Celsius, they are free to go.”
Dr Azmi said the screening procedures for those who came from the six high-risk countries were more stringent.
“If their temperatures are normal and they do not show any signs of the disease, they will be released.
“However, they will be issued a health-alert card which is valid for 21 days.”
He said if any of the passengers encountered Ebola-related symptoms within the 21-day period, they were to go to the nearest clinic or hospital and alert the medical staff.
“Passengers from both groups that register a body temperature of more than 38 degrees Celsius, will be subject to a thorough inspection.
“Should we find they have been involved with activities related to Ebola treatment, in addition to showing signs like bleeding and diarrhoea, we will immediately inform the Sungai Buloh Hospital’s infectious disease specialist for further treatment.”
He said health officials monitoring the temperature scanners and doctors on duty at the quarantine centre had been working round the clock for the past three weeks.
Dr Azmi said screening centres had been also set up at major ports in the country to check on visitors and sailors boarding cruise ships.