KUALA TERENGGANU: European tourists visiting several islands in the state are refusing to go home for fear of catching the Covid-19 infection.
To date, there are still 40 foreign tourists present in Pulau Perhentian, Besut, five in Pulau Redang dan three di Pulau Tenggol, Dungun.
State Tourism Department director Ab Rasid Jusoh said the tourists from several European countries had been on holiday on these islands since the middle of last month.
He said the state government had ordered the tourists to leave the resort and return to their respective countries.
“But they had refused to go, worried that they will be infected with the Covid-19 because the situation in their respective countries was more serious.
"We used various methods including persuading them to leave the resort, but they had refused and pleaded for permission to remain there until the Covid-19 situation had fully recovered," he said when contacted, here, today.
Ab Rasid said the state government had kept in touch with chalet owners on the islands on their situation.