Authorities still tracing 'high-risk' 87 who attended Sulawesi tabligh gathering

CORONAVIRUS | Health authorities are still working with the police to track down 87 Malaysians who attended a tabligh gathering in Sulawesi, Indonesia on March 19 that was eventually aborted.

According to Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, those who attended were at risk of contracting the Covid-19 virus.

“There was a gathering in Sulawesi. So it is high risk if you attended. We are trying to get more information.

“We have identified 87 names and we are tracing them. We are working with the police,” he told a press conference in Putrajaya this evening.

Previously, the Malaysian government had decided to place the Malaysians who travelled to Sulawesi to attend the tabligh gathering in quarantine centres for 14 days after their return to Malaysia.

Shortly after, a group of Malaysians who had travelled to Sulawesi for the tabligh gathering were nabbed while trying to enter Sabah waters off Tawau.

The group was placed under quarantine and are being tested for Covid-19.

However, police later denied reports that the group of 12 Malaysians who returned to the country via Tawau had attempted to enter Sabah illegally.

They were quoted as saying authorities had anticipated their arrival in Tawau on Saturday.

Later, it was announced that a total of 107 Malaysians who were among participants of the tabligh gathering in Sulawesi, which ended up being postponed, had returned to Malaysia.

Noor Hisham told a press conference today that the 87 names they are tracing were for investigations under Covid-19.

 He also spoke about the Menara City One case where an enhanced movement control order (MCO) was imposed after 17 positive cases were discovered in the condominium complex (above).

He said they are trying to test every single resident in the complex following this.

“This is what we are trying to do, we have actually looked into that area and made sure we investigate every apartment and if need be, test them also.

“We started last night, all the apartments (will be screened), not all in one go but in stages,” he said.

On a separate issue, he said Malaysians who returned to the country from overseas will have to be placed under quarantine for which they have identified 334 quarantine centres nationwide. - Mkini