KUALA LUMPUR: The Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reminded the public that lethargy and a loss sense of smell and taste are also some of the symptoms of Covid-19 infection, other than a high temperature.
Dr Noor Hisham advised those with a mild fever to stay at home and not go to work until they feel better.
He said this was the case of the government officer who was tested positive of Covid-19 last week. He had earlier attended a post-cabinet meeting with the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
As a result, the PM who was identified as a close-contact, had to undergo a 14 days mandatory quarantine.
"We took the temperature of the officer in question but it was normal. He had no fever, cough or flu but he was feeling exhausted and said he had also lost senses of smell and taste.
"These are also the symptoms of someone who may be infected with Covid-19. So if this is you, stay at home and refrain from going to the office," he said.
Dr Noor Hisham also said it is important to spot other symptoms, other than using the temperature scanner as the Covid-19 symptoms is not just about having a high fever.
"Since he (the officer) had the symptoms, we had to conduct a test and it came out positive. So even if you have (medical) equipment but it shows that everything is normal, we need to look out for other signs as well," he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham also advised those who were undergoing the mandatory 14-day quarantine not to violate the law by going out even for a jog.
"If they go for a jog, or to the market, that is not observing the quarantine (process). They were imposed under a mandatory quarantine, so when they return from overseas they must stay indoors for a period of 14 days at a place identified by the government.
"We advise those who are undergoing quarantine at home to continue staying there. What we will do is monitor whether they leave the house or not.
"If we find that those under quarantined have been going out, it means they have broken the law. As such, we can take action against them under Section 14 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342)," he said.
Dr Noor Hisham was asked about a man in Sibu, Sarawak who had removed his Covid-19 tracking bracelet.
The suspect was reported to have arrived in Sibu on May 17 from Kuala Lumpur and was ordered to undergo a mandatory quarantine at home until May 30.
However, the suspect refused to continue wearing the bracelet and proceeded to remove the wristband on the seventh day of the quarantine period, when he went to a restaurant in town.
The wristband, first used in Sarawak, would allow to detect the location of the individual, with additional information can be obtained by scanning the QR code on the wristband.
Those found removing the bracelet face a fine of not more than RM1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months or both, under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).