Malaysia seeks 2,000 Rohingya men for Covid-19 checks, say sources

A computer image created by Nexu Science Communication together with Trinity College in Dublin, shows a model structurally representative of a betacoronavirus which is the type of virus linked to COVID-19, better known as the coronavirus linked to the Wuhan outbreak, shared with Reuters on Feb 18, 2020. - NEXU Science Communication/via REUTERS

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysian authorities are scrambling to track down about 2,000 Rohingya men who attended a religious gathering that has led to a big spike in Covid-19 cases across South-East Asia, a security source and two other people told Reuters.

More than 100,000 Rohingya live in Malaysia after fleeing from Myanmar, but they are considered illegal immigrants. Their status would likely make many of them reluctant to identify themselves to get tested for the virus even if they showed symptoms, other sources, in the Rohingya community, said.