KUALA LUMPUR: All visitors entering the country will undergo temperature screening checks for fever following concerns amid the rise of Covid-19 cases in China.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said visitors who displayed symptoms will be refered to the health authorities for further action.
"Those found with fever or displaying symptoms or are self-declared, will be referred to the quarantine centre or to the health authorities for further inspections.
"If the person is suspected of Covid-19, a test will be performed," she said in a statement today.
Dr Zaliha said Antigen Rapid Test Kit (RTK-Antigen) tests will be made compulsory for certain patients.
"A Covid-19 positive patient with influenza-like illnesses (ILI) or severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), who seeks service at public health facilities, and has a travel history to China within a 14-day period, or had close contact with a person with a travel history to China within 14 days, needs to undergo an RTK-Antigen test for genomic sequencing."
She said the samples for these types of patients will be sent for genome sequencing.
"It also applies to those who have close contact with individuals who have travelled to China within 14 days, or display influenza-like illnesses (ILI) or severe acute respiratory infection (SARI)," she said.
Dr Zaliha said the ministry will also conduct PCR tests on sewage samples from aircraft arriving from China to increase surveillance at international entry points.
"If found positive, the sewage samples will be sent to the National Public Health Laboratory for genomic sequencing," she said.