Health screenings, including body temperature checks, are being carried out for all individuals entering Malaysia through the Malaysia-Thailand border checkpoints in Kelantan.
These measures, implemented at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security complexes in Rantau Panjang, Bukit Bunga, and Pengkalan Kubor, aim to prevent the spread of the Nipah virus. Health personnel are working in shifts to ensure continuous monitoring at these entry points.
At the Rantau Panjang complex, a survey found that everyone, including both Malaysian and Thai nationals, must undergo temperature screening before entry. Individuals with a body temperature above 37.5°C are subject to further assessment, which includes interviews about travel history, health symptoms, and risk evaluation before any follow-up action is taken.
Malaysian national Nizam Samsuddin, 30, said he understood the importance of the screening measures. “Although the checks take some time, they are important for early detection of potential risks and to give the public greater confidence,” he told Bernama.
Thai national Apif Senik, 48, expressed full support for the preventive measures, saying, “Such checks are crucial for early detection of symptoms.” Saleha Jemae, 40, from Narathiwat, added that the border screenings reassured the public that health safety is being taken seriously.
The Kelantan Health Department began implementing these health screenings at the state’s main entry points last Sunday. Its director, Datuk Dr Mohd Azman Yacob, said the precautionary measures are aimed at detecting any risk of the virus entering the country.
