Malaysia: Authorities make quarantine requirements stricter for PCA travelers September 6 /update 27

Event

Malaysian authorities announced on Sunday, September 6, that travelers arriving in the country under the Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) will no longer be allowed to quarantine at home and will be sent to quarantine centers due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The announcement comes after a Malaysian national tested positive for the virus after returning from Singapore under the PCA scheme. Travelers sent to quarantine centers in hotels will have to cover the costs of their stay.

Malaysian authorities also announced that individuals from countries with more than 150,000 cases of COVID-19 will be barred from entering the country from Monday, September 7. The ban includes individuals with long-term resident passes wishing to return to the country. The measure, however, will still allow Malaysian nationals, but not their spouses, to return providing they undergo a 14-day quarantine on arrival. Special exemptions, including diplomatic and travel for cases of emergency, must be approved by the Immigration Department.

Restrictions to limit the spread of COVID-19 will remain in place until December 31. A Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) has been extended, permitting the government to quickly handle localized outbreaks of the disease.

Most economic and social activity has resumed in Malaysia. Face masks are mandatory in busy public spaces and on public transport. 

As of September 7, there have been 9397 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Malaysia with 128 associated deaths. Further international spread of the virus is to be expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands. 
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.