We’ll learn from neighbours when dealing with foreigners, says health DG

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

PUTRAJAYA: The health ministry says Malaysia will learn from its neighbours when it comes to screening foreigners for Covid-19.

“We will learn from our neighbours in terms of the infection among foreigners,” health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah told reporters at his daily briefing today.

While he did not mention which neighbours, Noor Hisham was responding to a question on Singapore’s surge in Covid-19 cases, the majority involving migrant workers.

Earlier today, the city-state confirmed 1,111 new cases, taking the total number of infections to 9,125.

Its health ministry said most of the cases were migrant workers living in dormitories – a group that accounts for more than three quarters of the total infections.

Noor Hisham said Malaysia took a targeted approach, focusing on location and high-risk groups, like the participants of the tabligh gathering held in Kuala Lumpur in February.

He also said the government had placed the Kuala Lumpur Wholesale Market in Selayang under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO), after 28 tested positive for the virus and one death was recorded.

“This way, we can take a targeted approach when screening the people and the group in the area,” he said. - FMT