KUALA LUMPUR: Of the 107 Malaysians evacuated from Wuhan, China, two did not pass their health screening after their arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here, early today.
The two were subsequently sent to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL), said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
The remaining 105 were transported to a surveillance centre at the Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT) in Bandar Enstek, Nilai, Negri Sembilan, she added.
AirAsia flight AK8256 carrying 107 Malaysians and their non-citizen family members touched down at KLIA at 5.57am today.
They were evacuated from Hubei province’s capital city, Wuhan, which is the epicentre of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak which has killed over 400 people and infected over 20,000.
Also on board were eight mission team members, six officials from the Malaysian Embassy in China and 12 crew members.
Dr Wan Azizah said the 105 evacuees will be monitored by health officers from the Health Ministry.
“At the centre, communication is limited only to health officers. No communication with outsiders, including family members, is allowed.
“Hence, we call on family members and friends to give their cooperation,” she said, adding that the centre is also being monitored by police.
Dr Wan Azizah said that the quarantined individuals will undergo health screening twice daily to ensure their good health, before they are released after the surveillance period of 14 days.
Yesterday, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said that all the evacuees will undergo a health entry screening at the Air Disaster Unit (ADU) Centre upon their arrival.
He said those who display symptoms of the coronavirus upon checks at the ADU would be brought to either the Sungai Buloh Hospital or the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment.
Those without symptoms associated with the 2019-nCoV will be quarantined at a surveillance centre.
They will be cleared to return home after it is proven that they are healthy and free of the disease after a period of 14 days, which is the maximum incubation period for the virus.
Meanwhile, Dr Wan Azizah said that according to Wisma Putra, some of the 34 Malaysians who missed the flight back to Kuala Lumpur had been caught up in logistical issues, such as inability to secure transport to the Wuhan airport.
It was reported earlier that a total of 141 people, comprising 116 Malaysians and 25 of their non-citizen spouses and children, would be evacuated from Wuhan.