Health Ministry to seek more funds to deal with new coronavirus
CORONAVIRUS | The Health Ministry will be requesting for additional allocations from the Finance Ministry to face a potential outbreak of the new coronavirus, according to its minister, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Among others, Dzulkefly (above) said the ministry is looking at increasing the number of temperature scanners at major entry and exit points, used as one method to detect travellers already showing signs of being infected by the virus....
CORONAVIRUS | The Health Ministry will be requesting for additional allocations from the Finance Ministry to face a potential outbreak of the new coronavirus, according to its minister, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Among others, Dzulkefly (above) said the ministry is looking at increasing the number of temperature scanners at major entry and exit points, used as one method to detect travellers already showing signs of being infected by the virus.
"As you very well know these scanners are very important... even though they (the infected travellers) might still escape because they are asymptomatic (not showing symptoms)
"So far as it is now, we have about 51 scanners that are really working well," he said during a press conference after attending a Chinese New Year open house jointly hosted by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng and Klang Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCCI) at the Klang Hokkien Association Hall.
"And so this is why I have already asked from the Finance Ministry that in the face of this crisis, I will be putting in (a request for) more allocations to handle and increase our capability, our equipment and others," he said.
Lim (below), who was present at the press conference led by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, also indicated that approval will be given for related requests from the Health Ministry.
"It's a health issue. (The requested allocation is) completely at his disposal," he said briefly.
Johor Tourism Exco Liow Cai Tung yesterday reportedly highlighted that there were no temperature scanners installed at the Johor Baru Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine Complex (CIQ) as well as at the Malaysia- Singapore Second Link - the main entry and exit points to Singapore.
Read more: New coronavirus outbreak: Here’s what we know so far
All four confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Malaysia comprise China nationals who entered the country via Singapore.
"We are, in fact, increasing the number of temperature scanners, but there are more difficult cases that are asymptomatic - coming without symptoms and only developing it later.
"Anyhow we will increase the number of all equipment, our paraphernalia to detect them," said Dzulkefly, adding that the matter will be discussed at the emergency National Disaster Management Agency meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in Putrajaya this evening.
China's Hubei province and its capital, Wuhan, are the epicentre of the deadly 2019-nCoV outbreak, which has so far infected almost 2,000 of its citizens and recorded 56 deaths.
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