Ship captains must declare status

KUALA LUMPUR: All ships arriving in Port Klang's Northport and Southport are required to sign a health declaration as part of efforts to check the spread of influenza A (H1N1). A circular from the Health Ministry issued to the Port Klang Authority (PKA) -- which manages the two ports -- states that a ship's captain must sign the declaration to attest that its crew are free from any flu-like symptoms.

PKA chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng said so far no crew members or port workers had shown any such symptoms.

"If there are any symptoms, we will quarantine the ship and Health Ministry officers will take over."

He said the chances of port workers being infected were low as most ships have a crew of only five to 20 people.

Moreover, ships take a long time to travel from their disembarkation point to another port.

Citing an example, Lee said a ship from Singapore to Malaysia takes four days, while those from Europe take at least a month to arrive.

"By the time it reaches port, we would know whether the crew is sick as they would have displayed the symptoms because the incubation period (of H1N1) is between two and three days."

Westports Malaysia said vessels with suspected cases of influenza A were barred from docking and would anchor in open sea to allow port health authorities to screen them.

In Johor, Port of Tanjung Pelepas is stocking up on masks and enforcing disinfection at public areas such as toilets, buses and canteens.