JOHOR BARU, Sept 6 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed that 46 cases of suspected monkeypox virus or mpox in Malaysia were negative.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said until now, mpox cases in Malaysia remain at nine cases recorded at the end of last year.

He said until now, almost 5.2 million travellers have been screened at the international entry points since August 16.

"Up to now we have screened 5.2 million travellers... Alhamdulillah we have not yet to come across it (mpox).

"The last time we encountered a positive variant of clade 2 (nine cases) not clade 1b which is more virulent was in December 2023,” he told reporters at the Clean, Smoke-Free Premises Walkabout Programme in Jalan Dhoby here last night.

Also present were state Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon, Health director-general (Public Health) Datuk Dr Norhayati Rusli and Johor Health director Dr Mohtar Pungut @ Ahmad.

Meanwhile he said that the screening of travellers at all the country’s border check points including at the airport to curb the spread of monkey pox (mpox) will not result in delays in clearance at the country’s entrance.

"We will continue to improve our security at our land, air, sea and international airport entrances.

"....no (missing clearance). We do (screening) in the form of a mobile scanner so I don’t see anything being interrupted or delayed from a technical point of view and so on,” he said. — Bernama