PUTRAJAYA, April 27 — The Health Ministry will screen the first batch of university students leaving for their hometowns for Covid-19 and has formulated several guidelines for them to adhere to.

Its director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the students, who have been permitted to return in stages starting today, will be screened for body temperature, coughing symptoms, colds, sore throats, or breathing difficulties.

"Throughout the trip home, students are reminded to follow the following preventive rules, which include maintaining safe social distancing of at least one metre from others, frequently washing hands with soap and maintaining self-hygiene, and always wearing facemasks throughout the duration of the journey,” he said during his daily press conference.

Yesterday, Higher Education Minister Datuk Noraini Ahmad said students could only return if their hometowns are situated in areas classified as green zones. Those whose hometowns are within yellow or red zones must instead remain on campus.

Similarly, the director-general also reported on the latest statistics for Malaysians returning from abroad, adding that from April 3 until today approximately 22,339 people have been quarantined upon arrival.

"8,207 of them have since completed the mandatory 14-day quarantine period, and of this number 144 Covid-19 positive cases were detected.

"Separately on the status of several active Covid-19 clusters, the Kuching church conference has recorded two new cases, bringing the total to 166 cases. On the Temboro pesantren cluster, one more case was recorded bringing it to 91, and on the Sendayan cluster in Seremban, one more case was recorded bringing it to 81,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

40 new infective cases were recorded today, with 95 active cases having since recovered and discharged from hospitals. The total number of infections and recoveries now stand at 5,820 cases and 3,957 cases, respectively.

99 people have died so far from Covid-19, the latest being a 78-year old man from Johor who was admitted on April 7 and who passed away early this morning.

Globally the number of Covid-19 cases now stands at 3,004,892, with 882,993 recoveries and 207,262 deaths. The United States, Spain, and Italy remain the top three countries with the most infections and deaths, at 987,322 cases and 55,415 deaths, 226,629 cases and 23,190 deaths, followed by 197,675 cases and 26,644 deaths, respectively.