KUALA LUMPUR: Undocumented migrants detained at the Bukit Jalil and Semenyih immigration depots, who tested positive for Covid-19, will only be deported to their home country after they have completed their treatment and given a clean bill of health.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in giving the assurance said the ministry was in the process of conducting Covid-19 screening for all detainees who are being housed at the two immigration depots.
"Our policy is that we will only deport individuals tested negative for the infection. Those (undocumented migrants) testing positive for the infection would be isolated and given the necessary treatment until they recover from the virus," he said during his daily press conference, here, today.
The ministry, he said, had conducted Covid-19 screening on 469 detainees at the Bukit Jalil immigration depot, of which, 60 of them tested positive for the virus.
A total of 35 detainees who tested positive for Covid-19 were housed at block A of the depot and were arrested before the Movement Control Order (MCO) came into force on March 18.
The remaining detainees who tested positive for the virus were rounded up during the implementation of the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) and were placed at blocks B and C of the same immigration depot.
On reports claiming that India recorded one Covid-19 imported case from Malaysia, Dr Noor Hisham said, the ministry is not sure how the patient contracted the infection.
"Even if we were to test them, they may be negative because they could be in the incubation period when the test was conducted.
"And when they arrived at the respective destination, then the virus may be detected.
"Likewise the case involving Malaysians returning from abroad who tested positive for Covid-19.
"A total 75 per cent tested positive after the first swab while the remaining tested positive during the second swab, which is on the 13th day into their compulsory quarantine," he said.