Passengers arriving at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport would pass through a thermal scanner as authorities increased measure against coronavirus. — File Picture by BERNAMA
PUTRAJAYA, Feb 3 — All Malaysians returning from Wuhan, China will go through stringent procedures which include a 14-day quarantine upon arrival to ensure elimination of any risk of infection and that they are truly free from the novel coronavirus.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said upon arrival, all passengers including crew members and officials would not enter the KLIA building, instead they would be ferried in special buses to the Air Disaster Unit building for the decontamination process and entry screening.
This procedure will be conducted by the Hazardous Material (Hazmat) unit of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Malaysia (JBPM) and the Ministry of Health (MoH).
“The management of the passengers of the aircraft to the hospital will depend on the result of the screening process. Those who are found to have the symptoms will be taken away to, either, the Sungai Buloh Hospital or the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.
“They will only be allowed to return home after being declared totally free from the virus. During the 14-day quarantine period, their families will not be allowed to visit them but can still communicate via telephone,” he said at a news conference here today.
“The aircraft carrying the Malaysians will land at the KLIA but I would like to stress that they will not enter the terminal building to avoid the infection... the public need not worry,” he said.
Dr Dzulkefly said the AirAsia aircraft to bring Malaysians home departed for Wuhan from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) at about 3.50 pm today.
The special flight involved 167 individuals comprising 141 Malaysians and 24 non-citizens who are their spouses and children, 12 crew members, eight mission officers and six officials from the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing.
In a related development, there were no increase in the number of coronavirus-positive cases and as of noon, the total tally remained unchanged at eight cases, all involving Chinese nationals.
“All Chinese nationals who have tested positive for coronavirus are in stable condition now and not showing any 'worsening symptom'. They are expected to undergo a week-long observation and will only be allowed to leave the hospital after they tested negative,” he said.
— Bernama
