PETALING JAYA, September 28 — Malaysia has received its first shipment of Tecovirimat, an antiviral drug for treating mpox (formerly known as monkeypox), according to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad. The drug will be administered to high-risk individuals, particularly those with severe diseases or weakened immune systems. In addition, Dzulkefly announced that the government has finalized an agreement for the mpox vaccine, which is expected to arrive soon.
Similar to the antiviral treatment, the vaccine will be prioritized for vulnerable groups. Although no new mpox cases were reported in the past week, the health ministry continues its monitoring efforts following the most recent case detected on September 16. The patient, currently in stable condition, was isolated after testing positive for the Clade 2 sub-variant.
