Covid-19: To keep variants out, Sarawak bars entry to travellers who have been in India in past month

KUCHING: Anyone who has been in India during the past 30 days will not be allowed to enter Sarawak with effect from Tuesday (April 27), says the state disaster management committee.

The committee said the move was aimed at preventing new Covid-19 variants from entering the state.

"As a preventive measure against a variant of concern from India, the committee has decided to restrict entry to travellers and those who have been in India for the past 30 days," it said in a statement on Monday (April 26).

Sarawak's move comes after the Health Ministry said earlier on Monday that it would propose stopping flights from India to prevent the spread of Covid-19 virus variants in Malaysia.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba was reported as saying that the proposal would be put forward at a special National Security Council meeting the same day.

India is currently experiencing a Covid-19 surge, setting a global record of cases for a fifth straight day on Monday with 352,991 new infections as overcrowded hospitals run out of oxygen and beds.

Meanwhile, the committee said the conditional movement control order (MCO) in Sarawak would be extended by a further seven days until mid-May.

The conditional MCO, which was earlier extended from April 27 to May 10, will now be in place until May 17.

"This decision was made after assessing the Covid-19 situation in Sarawak, where the number of cases is still high," the committee said.

The committee also approved additional standard operating procedures (SOP) recommended by the divisional disaster management committees of Kuching, Miri, Sibu, Betong, Bintulu, Sarikei and Kapit.

Details of the SOP are available on the National Security Council's website at https://www.mkn.gov.my/.