PUTRAJAYA: The government’s decision to require individuals returning from overseas to be quarantined has been successful in curbing the spread of Covid-19 and preventing imported clusters from being created.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (pix) said to date, 131 people who underwent compulsory quarantine were found to be positive for Covid-19.
“Imagine if we had allowed these 131 people to go home and undergo self-quarantine, it would have created new clusters which would have spread not just to their families but also the surrounding community.
“So our decision to enforce compulsory quarantine on people who returned from overseas was correct,” he said at a press conference on the development of the Movement Control Order (MCO), here today.
Ismail Sabri said since April 3, a total of 19,945 Malaysians who returned from overseas had to undergo quarantine, while since April 17, a total of 6,778 individuals completed their compulsory quarantine and were allowed to go home.
He said as of April 24, a total of 209 quarantine centres were operating, with 16,633 individuals undergoing compulsory quarantine.
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said, the government will continue to enforce border control especially along rat trails to stop illegal immigrants from breaking through national borders, in a move to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the country, especially involving imported clusters.
“The government remains steadfast in ensuring that the borders and the country’s sovereignty are not violated, so surveillance to patrol the borders including at rat trails will be intensified.
“Since the MCO was implemented, 84 people have been arrested for entering the country through the rat trails,” he added. - Bernama
