PUTRAJAYA: No Covid-19 cases have been recorded from the 4,096 travellers who have arrived from China since Jan 8, says the Health Ministry.
Its director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this was based on wastewater samplings conducted at random across various high-risk areas, including aircraft.
“The number of imported cases has also been low, at only between three to four cases reported monthly.
“Wastewater samplings (from various flights at random), however, discovered the presence of the Omicron variants and its sub-types, but that is already within the community.
“There are also no new variants detected as yet,” he told a press conference after a media briefing here yesterday.
He said no surge in Covid-19 infections was expected in the coming festive season.
“The current number of Covid-19 daily cases and hospitalisation rates are also on a downward trend,” he added.
On whether the upcoming Thaipusam and Chinese New Year celebrations would see any new standard operating procedures being implemented, he said things would remain as per status quo.
“We went through various festive events last year such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri and observed no surge in cases.
“Hence, we will stick to the same procedures practised during festive celebrations last year,” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham added that there were seven criteria to be met before any further Covid-19 mitigation measures were implemented.
These include an increase in imported Covid-19 cases from China and the detection of new Covid-19 variants through wastewater samplings of aircraft from the republic.
“Stricter Covid-19 measures also have to be considered if hospitalisation and intensive care units usage reach more than 30%,” he said.
Other criteria were an increase in the number of Covid-19 related deaths for those outside the high-risk categories and those brought in dead, alongside an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in countries bordering Malaysia such as Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.
He added that the XBB1.5 variant, which saw an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the United States, has yet to be reported in Malaysia.
“Despite that, we are still monitoring Covid-19 variants and their potential mutations,” he said.
Health deputy director-general (public health) Datuk Dr Norhayati Rusli said there would also be special lanes manned by the Immigration Department to monitor Chinese tourists entering Malaysia as part of efforts to mitigate Covid-19.
“Thermal scanners will also be set up at our international entry points, with symptomatic travellers being referred to Health Ministry officials.
“Suspected Covid-19 infected individuals will also be referred to our officials.
“These individuals will then be monitored to see whether they are really infected with Covid-19 via a rapid antigen test (RTK),” she told the same media briefing earlier.
Dr Norhayati added that Covid-19 positive travellers in Categories 1 and 2 would be given the option of isolating at home or their lodging residences.
“Those in Categories 3, 4 and 5 will be referred for further treatment in either public or private hospitals,” she said.
She added that flight attendants and ground staff members would also assist Health Ministry officials in checking whether incoming travellers exhibited Covid-19 symptoms.
