DG defends quarantine exemption, onus on traveller to report symptoms

 

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today defended the decision to allow those travelling from Sabah to be exempted from the 14-day quarantine if they tested negative for Covid-19.

He said the authorities have to be fair because not everyone travelling from Sabah are from the four "red zones" - districts with more than 40 confirmed cases.

For those who tested negative for the virus upon arriving from Sabah, the onus is on them to continue monitoring their health and report any symptoms they may have.

"When the result is negative, we are not saying that you are free. We are telling them that the onus is on you to monitor yourself.

"If you report fever and (other) symptoms to a clinic or hospital, we will quarantine you for 14 days. Some asymptomatic patients will be admitted to the hospital if we suspect (they came in contact with a) Covid-19 patient.

"(After you test negative), it doesn't mean the end of mandatory quarantine and you are free. That means the onus is on you to self-regulate and self-quarantine at home," he said.

He added that there have been cases where those who tested negative after screening at the airport contacted the ministry to report symptoms.

"Even after that they test negative, but we still admit them and monitor them because they have symptoms," he said.

Currently, the Health Ministry is imposing home surveillance orders and swab tests for those returning from Sabah. The order is lifted if the test result is negative.

However, some returnees from Sabah have tested positive for Covid-19 after their first test returned negative.

Fears of travellers from Sabah carrying Covid-19 have been exacerbated by the state election campaign from Sept 12 to Sept 26, which was joined by many out-of-state vote canvassers, some of which have already tested positive.

The director-general also said imposing a 14-day quarantine period on Sabah returnees will also set a precedent for future cases of travel to and from red zones, including within the peninsula, by those who are not infected.

For example, he said, the district of Cheras in Kuala Lumpur was once a red zone but its neighbouring district was not. Those travelling between those districts need not be quarantined if they tested negative, if they do not have symptoms, or if they have not had contact with a Covid-19 patient.

Meanwhile, Noor Hisham said the authorities are seeking the cooperation of airlines to ensure that flights from Sabah are staggered to avoid congestion at airports.

He said there was one incident where four flights from Sabah landed at an airport at almost the same time, thereby causing a long queue for those waiting for Covid-19 tests. - Mkini