Quarantine period for travellers, close contacts shortened to 10 days - Health DG

KUALA LUMPUR: The quarantine period for travellers returning from overseas and close contacts of positive cases will be shortened from 14 to 10 days effective tomorrow (Dec 14).

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said it applies to the surveillance and observation order implemented at the gazetted quarantine centres or at home.

"A recent review of clinical scientific evidence found that the risk of post-quarantine infection will decrease throughout the quarantine period. The infection rate is highest in the first week after exposure," he said in a statement here today.

Dr Noor Hisham said several countries have reviewed the mandatory quarantine period.

“The United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium have reduced the quarantine period from 14 to 10 days while the mandatory quarantine period in France has been reduced to seven days," he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said the Ministry of Health (MOH) has identified six more new COVID-19 clusters involving Labuan, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang.

He said the Hujung Pasir Cluster is a workplace-related cluster in Labuan and the index case for this cluster was reported positive on Dec 12 as a result of a screening of symptomatic individuals.

"As of Dec 13, a total of 143 individuals have been screened and five cases were tested positive for COVID-19," he said.

Dr Noor Hisham said the second cluster, the Lestari Cluster, related to high-risk groups involving the districts of Petaling, Hulu Langat, Klang and Sepang in Selangor as well as Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur.

The index case for this cluster was detected on Dec 8 following a screening of symptomatic individuals and was admitted to the Sungai Buloh Hospital and until today, 351 individuals had been screened with 31 testing positive.

Dr Noor Hisham said the Idaman Cluster involved Kulai district in Johor with the index case being a Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) case who tested COVID-19 positive on Dec 10 and was admitted to the Enche' Besar Hajjah Khalsom Hospital in Kluang.

As of today, a total of 52 individuals have been screened with eight testing positive for COVID-19 in this cluster.

He said the early case for the Tapak Bina Rimbun Cluster in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan was detected on Dec 10 through targeted screening at a construction site with 16 testing positive.

The Tanjung Suria Cluster was detected in the districts of Sepang, Gombak, Kuala Selangor and Hulu Selangor with the early case reported positive on Dec 7 as a result of targeted screening at work place involving two factories.

As of today, a total of 8,480 individuals have been screened with 31 testing positive.

He said the Kuala Cluster was detected in Kuantan district, Pahang with the index case reported positive on Dec 10 as a result of screening of symptomatic individuals and as of today, 26 cases were tested positive for COVID-19.

-- BERNAMA