Ministry working with UNHCR to reach remaining tabligh attendees, says Health D-G

KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — The Ministry of Health is working closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to reach participants of Sri Petaling tabligh event that must still be tested for Covid-19.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this is done with the help of other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including  IMARET, Muslim Relief Agency and Mercy Malaysia.

“This partnership will also involve a group of MOH officers at the District Health Office level.

“The officers will be disseminating information relating to Covid-19 to refugees and asylum seekers,” he told reporters during a press conference today.

Dr Noor Hisham said this after disclosing 153 new Covid-19 cases, 90 of which were linked to the Sri Petaling mosque’s tabligh event.

“The officers will also explain to the refugees and asylum seekers the importance of getting immediate treatment if they are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19.

“Although they may not have joined the gathering, but because they may live in a small community, therefore they are likely in close contact with any positive cases found,” he added.

Dr Noor Hisham also urged all tabligh participants who have yet to get themselves tested for Covid-19 to come forward as it was evident that more than half of new positive cases cae from this group.

“The tabligh group have infected more than half the positive cases we received and some have returned to either their home country or state.

“From Perlis to Sabah there are positive cases now.  We want to urge the tabligh participants to come forward. At least get tested to ensure whether they are positive or negative (of Covid-19),” he said.

He cautioned that this was important especially if they belong to a community, and there is a high chance that they may spread the virus to the rest of the community. 

“Just by going to the mosque to pray. We won’t know who we are in close contact with, especially in a mosque.

“Like in the new clustre, the infection was not directly from the tabligh group,” he added.

On March 19, Malaysia has so far traced 10,650 of attendees of the mass religious gathering held at the Jamek Sri Petaling mosque.

Of this number, Dr Noor Hisham has earlier said that 513 have tested positive for the virus.

To date, three tabligh participants have died after contracting the virus and unable to recover.

The country is in its fourth day of the movement control order, an effort taken by the government to reduce spreading of the virus.