More than 1,000 private madrasahs have yet to perform COVID-19 screening, said Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He asked the private madrasahs that had yet to do so to contact the Ministry of Health (MOH).

"We have 370 madrasahs, of which 120 madrasahs are related to the tabligh congregations, where 120 have been visited by tabligh congregants more than five times. Over 1,000 private madrasahs have yet to perform screening.

“The MoH urges the management of private madrasahs to contact the MoH to enable screening to be done.

"There are students sitting in our madrasahs who can be screened. Those who have gone home, we are going to track them and also filter their families," he said at a press conference here Thursday.

MoH is worried that during this festive season, the return of the madrasah students to their villages will trigger the spread of COVID-19.

Following this, the public is advised to avoid visits during the Aidilfitri celebration.

It comes as concerns over senior citizens who are exposed to the highest risk of COVID-19 infection.

"The MOH would like to advise those who return to the village to ensure social distancing, wash their hands, wear face masks and avoid gathering.

“Family gatherings can also be infected because there are touches, handshakes, kisses that can be transmitted to older people, the exposed ones and complications can make them more at risk.

"If possible, to avoid visitation during the holidays and even in the family, we should take precautionary measures and break the spread of the COVID-19 infection," he said.