SEPANG: Three pilgrims who were supposed to board their flight for haj today have tested positive for Covid-19.
Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) executive director Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman said the three individuals had been advised to adhere to the quarantine process and consult their doctors after they no longer show symptoms.
"Once their (Covid-19) tests are negative, and if there are still flights (departing for haj), we will try our best to get them an empty seat," he said after the sending-off ceremony of the first batch of 295 Malaysian haj pilgrims here, today.
Syed Saleh reminded would-be pilgrims to conduct their RT-PCR test 56 hours before reporting for haj.
He said if they test positive, they must immediately inform TH through the TH contact centre for advice and make further arrangements.
The last flight out from Malaysia for haj is on July 3.
Saudi Arabia announced that it will permit a million Muslims from inside and outside the country to participate in this year's haj.
Malaysia's haj quota this year is 14,306 pilgrims - 45 per cent of the previous annual quota of 31,600 before the pandemic struck.
For this year's haj pilgrimage, only those aged 65 and below, with no chronic illness, in possession of the Covid-19 vaccination certificate would be eligible and they are also required to submit a negative PCR test result within 72 hours before departure.