No quarantine for those returning from Sabah

KUALA LUMPUR: People returning from Sabah will not be required to undergo quarantine, said Senior Minister for Security Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday.

He dismissed as “fake news” a message widely-shared on social media saying that a 14-day mandatory quarantine must be followed because of Covid-19 infections in Sabah.

Ismail said that although there is a Covid-19 cluster at the Tawau detention centre, it only involved foreign detainees.

“They were detained in the prison and they did not mingle with people from outside,” he said, adding that the situation in Tawau is under control. Ismail added Sabah is a green zone state, and it is safe for Malaysians to enter and return from Sabah, without the need to undergo quarantine.

The Health Ministry yesterday reported 22 new Covid-19 cases in Tawau detention centre. A total of 315 cases were reported positive.

A total of 3,408 detainees were screened, and 2,290 of them are still awaiting for their results.

On Saturday, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the government will study if there is a need to impose mandatory quarantine on those who have gone to Sabah for the state elections.