CORONAVIRUS | The government finds that there is no necessity to place a blanket ban on all visitors from China for now, says deputy prime minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Speaking at a press conference in Putrajaya this morning, Wan Azizah (above) said a high-level committee meeting on Covid-19 made the conclusion today, where they also decided to tighten screening measures at the country's entry points.
"The matter (banning visitors from China) was discussed. However, in today's meeting, we found that there is no necessity.
"We (decided) to further strengthen checks on Malaysians returning from China," she told the press conference, which was held after Wan Azizah chaired the Central Disaster Management Committee meeting at the Prime Minister's Department.
She was answering a question about the plan to ban tourists from China, which Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said was among the measures discussed by the cabinet on Wednesday.
Dzulkefly told reporters on Thursday that any decision on the suggestion would be announced by Wan Azizah, who is also the chairperson of the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).
Stringent checks at all entry points, including on-the-spot swab test
According to Wan Azizah, Malaysians returning from China or after having visited the country will be subjected to a swab test at entry points.
They will be tested for Covid-19 on the spot upon arrival at any entry point in the country, regardless of whether they are symptomatic or not.
This is an additional measure on top of the thermal scanning, which is already in place to check inbound travellers for fever.
"Individuals found to be positive with Covid-19 will be taken to hospital straight away. If the result returns negative, they will be allowed to go home and put under home surveillance as per the Health Ministry's guidelines," she said.
The swab test result can be ready in five hours, the deputy premier added.
Besides this, Wan Azizah said the committee had also decided this morning to further strengthen measures at Malaysia's entry points with Singapore.
She said this was because Singapore has recorded sporadic cases and human-to-human transmission of the virus.
Those coming into Malaysia from the island republic will be subjected to a swab test on the spot if they are showing symptoms.
During the early weeks of the outbreak, Malaysia had on Jan 27 announced a visa suspension on all China nationals who originated from Hubei province, which is the epicentre of the virus outbreak.
The travel restriction was then extended to two other China provinces - Zhejiang and Jiangsu - on Feb 9.
Wan Azizah had said then that the extension was in line with a decision made by a meeting on the epidemic on Jan 27 that travel restrictions would be enforced in accordance with the "lockdown" of territories by the Chinese government. - Mkini
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