KUALA LUMPUR: The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) epidemic will likely worsen before it gets better.
Universiti Selangor Visiting Professor of Environmental Health Professor Dr Jamal Hisham Hashim said there would probably be more international cases of the disease in the near future.
The cold weather in Wuhan and north China, he said, was likely fuelling the spread of the virus.
“We should follow this development closely and update our risk assessment and minimisation strategy as the epidemic unfolds.
“If you are travelling on long-haul flights, do not shut down the plane’s ventilation vents completely as this would impede air circulation around you.
“If a passenger within several rows from you seems to have a respiratory infection, it would be helpful to put on a mask. Drink adequately and bring a light jacket with you because it can get cold on planes and in airports.”
He reminded travellers to buy travel insurance to cover medical expenses overseas if they need it.
The environmental health scientist urged Malaysians returning from Wuhan city, Hubei province and other areas on lockdown to stay away from school and work.
“However, I feel that it may be unnecessary to request this from Malaysians returning from other areas in China.
“For the time being, I think we are doing the right thing by temporarily stopping the visa facility of Chinese nationals from Wuhan and Hubei province, the most affected areas in China.
“China has banned overseas group tours for their nationals. Therefore, we should also deny entry of group tours from China. They may still come on individual or family tours.”
He said he had concerns about Malaysians’ hygiene in the wake of this fast-spreading disease.
He said Malaysians were less sensitive about transmitting infections to others if they were sick with cold, flu or diarrhoea.
“Unlike the Japanese or South Koreans, for example, we go to work and school when we are sick and we do not put on face masks when we are in public.
“Parents, too, keep sending their children to kindergarten even when they are not well. When we use tissues to wipe our noses and hands, we leave them on tables and do not dispose of them.
“The practice of hand washing and using of soaps and sanitisers among Malaysians is wanting. Many restaurants and public toilets do not provide soap for hand washing. Even if they do, many do not use them.
“Toilet hygiene of our food handlers is also poor.”
Jamal said most deaths from the coronavirus in China involved elderly men with co-morbidity or existing chronic diseases.
He said people with these conditions should take extra precautions and avoid going to crowded places and events unnecessarily.
Professor Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman, a public health expert from International Medical University, said an advisory should perhaps be issued to schools advising students to not go to schools if they were sick.
He said this was important if they had been to China or were exposed to sick Chinese visitors.
“The Health Ministry has vast experience in managing outbreaks. We managed the Nipah outbreak, did well to prevent SARS, MERS-CoV and were commended by the WHO D-G (World Health Organisation director-general) (for our handling of the) H1N1 outbreak. I was there before and I still trust the ministry’s staff to do well.
“We have even sent our experts to help countries affected by Ebola before, so why question our capabilities? Let the experts do their job. They know best.
“Do not confuse or scare the public. You are only diverting attention and draining resources on countering unfounded claims and reports. This is not the time for political mileage.
“The public need to be assured that Malaysia has the public health capacity to manage this outbreak,” said Lokman, a former Health Ministry deputy director-general of public health.
He said though Malaysians lacked good hygiene, they improved during the SARS outbreak when many people carried hand sanitisers with them.
“We should continue with that. If we go by the public toilet standard in this country, care for cleanliness is to be desired.
“Practise good hygiene to stay away from infectious diseases. Wash hands with soap after using the toilet.
“Wash your hands after an outing. Look into cough and sneeze etiquette. If you are sick, seek treatment early and stay at home until you recover.”