Sarawak tourism on alert ahead of Visit Malaysia 2026 amid India’s Nipah virus concerns

Picture is for illustration purposes only. Photo: Pixabay

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, Jan 30: Sarawak is keeping a close eye on the Nipah virus outbreak in India as the State prepares to welcome tourists ahead of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026).

Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah urged authorities to stay vigilant while ensuring Sarawak remains an attractive destination for visitors.

Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah

“The Ministry of Health (MOH) and also National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), as well as the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) in Sarawak, should be alert and monitor situations like this because this year is Visit Malaysia Year.

“We hope to see many visitors come. But if visitors come and this brings misfortune to us, we must be concerned,” Abdul Karim told reporters during a press conference at Baitul Makmur 2 today.

He added that targeted precautions would be more effective than broad restrictions.

“Even if we allow visitors, for areas identified as already having the Nipah virus, there should be some control measures. This is my personal view,” he continued.

Abdul Karim also noted that the outbreak in India has not yet reached a critical stage.

“The Nipah virus is occurring in Assam, in eastern India. India itself is being vigilant.

“Countries in South Asia, including Thailand, are screening travellers from India, checking temperatures and taking precautions to prevent its spread,” he said.

The minister cautioned that while the virus is more lethal than Covid-19, there is currently no vaccine for Nipah.

“If I’m not mistaken, the first detection of Nipah virus was in Malaysia,” he noted. — DayakDaily