KUALA LUMPUR: It is estimated that 40 Malaysian students in China have returned home over the past week and are being quarantined at home.
A spokesman from the Malaysian embassy in Beijing confirmed that the students underwent health screenings at Malaysian airports upon their arrival and were sent home for a 14-day quarantine.
It was learnt that those who came home had passed initial health screenings at the respective airports of departure.
“The students are required to follow health guidelines set by the Health Ministry,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman also said that Education Malaysia Beijing was in close contact with the students and was monitoring their health conditions.
“Those who have returned were given clean bills of health.”
Malaysian students in China are counting down the days to return home.
Jully Goh, a PhD student who is in lockdown in Wuhan’s Central China Normal University, said she had been in close contact with the Malaysian embassy in Beijing for updates on their journey home.
“I first learnt about the evacuation through our local media and contacted officers at the embassy for confirmation.
“We have been told to wait for further details on this matter,” she said, adding that the embassy had been helpful during the health crisis.
“They have been checking on us regularly and have been providing us with daily necessities, including food,” Goh said via email.
The 30-year-old student from Penang said she had been adhering to the embassy’s advisory following the outbreak.
On the situation in Wuhan, she said she had been staying indoors in the university compound.
“For now, the situation in my dormitory and school is still good.
“Things are under control and people are calm. The re-opening of the school is still tentative until further notice.
“I believe everything will be all right, and that we just have to keep following what the school and embassy have instructed us to do,” said the student who is doing her PhD in Modern Chinese Literature.
Goh said she had been in close contact with her research supervisor and teachers.
“I hope the situation returns to normal soon. I want to finish my study.”
Another Malaysian student from Wuhan University, Thomas Tan Jun Hao, 21, said a WeChat messaging group had been created for Malaysians for news updates.
“At the moment, everybody is waiting for the greenlight from embassy to go home.
“So far, there have not been instructions from them, other than reminders on personal hygiene and telling us to stay healthy.
“I believe we will be quarantined for two weeks before we can go home.”
Another Malaysian student, Che Nurabiah Hajar Che Zainuddin, who is in Haidian in Beijing, said the district was in lockdown.
“The Chinese government is blocking residents from going to the city. Our dormitories and many parts of the university buildings are being disinfected frequently.”
The 23-year-old student at Beijing Language and Culture University said the prices of face masks and hand sanitisers had spiked.
Hajar, who is waiting for her turn to come home, said a Malaysian student who was supposed to fly back earlier this week was unable to board the flight when it was discovered that the person had fever.
“My friend was lucky that the test for novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV came back negative.”
Malaysia’s National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) is tasked with the humanitarian and disaster relief evacuation mission.
The mission is focused on bringing Malaysians, specifically those stranded in Wuhan, home.
A spokesman from Nadma confirmed that Malaysians who would be brought back through the mission were required to register at their respected Malaysian embassy offices.
They were required to undergo exit screening from Wuhan and obtain special clearance to board the flights from Wuhan Tianhe International Airport.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad yesterday said those returning from Wuhan and Hubei province would be required to undergo surveillance and early detection tests regardless of any symptoms related to the 2019-nCoV virus.
“This includes performing throat swabs and other procedures.
“If they show symptoms of 2019-nCoV, they will be quarantined and the ministry will conduct contact tracing.
“If not, those with history of visiting Wuhan and Hubei will be issued a health alert card, in which, if they develop symptoms related to the virus within 14 days (of incubation period), they should visit and present the card to the nearest hospital.”