KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry (MoH) is enforcing stronger preemptive measures in a continued effort to curb the spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said they will be put into effect tomorrow.
“Travellers arriving in Malaysia through air and land Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL), one-stop centres for short-term business travellers, as well as the Langkawi International Travel Bubble, will have to undergo RT-PCR tests two days before travelling to Malaysia.
“This method will replace earlier procedures, where travellers had to undergo testing 72 hours before flying,” he said in a statement this evening.
He added that all test results must be reported through the MySejahtera app.
Besides being tested upon arrival in Malaysia, travellers from the categories above will also be subjected to RTK-Ag testing daily over the first five days after their arrival.
“The ministry will also be enforcing the wearing of digital tracking devices throughout the length of the compulsory quarantine period undertaken by travellers.
“The usage of the devices will apply to travellers arriving from nations that have reported a spread of the Omicron variant (United Kingdom, United States, Australia, France, Norway) as well as those coming in from countries under the temporary travel ban,” he said.
Khairy added that the travellers will also be required to undergo RT-PCR testing two days before travelling to Malaysia. This also marks a shorter period of time than the previously announced 72 hours.
According to Khairy, nations under the temporary travel ban are South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.
On December 1, Khairy had announced travel restrictions for travellers arriving from countries that have reported the variant’s spread and are considered high-risk.
Kenyataan Akhbar Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia
— KKMalaysia?? (@KKMPutrajaya) December 7, 2021
Tindakan Pengukuhan Pencegahan dan Pengawalan Penyakit Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Bagi Pengembara Dari Luar Negara pic.twitter.com/QW55u96CBo
Disabled child succumbs to virus
Meanwhile, a disabled girl aged 11 has been reported to have died from Covid-19 at Samarahan district in southern Sarawak.
The State Disaster Management Committee said the girl was admitted to Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching but succumbed on December 3.
Tests carried out confirmed today that her cause of death was Covid-19, the committee secretariat said in a press statement today.
The secretariat said there were 71 new infections throughout the state today.
Miri tops the list with 22 new cases, while Kuching saw 19 and Sibu 10. Numerous other districts recorded single-digit increases. – The Vibes, December 7, 2021
