Sabah starts health screenings at airport

KOTA KINABALU: Health screening on passengers coming into Sabah has begun following concerns raised over the highly contagious novel coronavirus.

Authorities in the state are also investigating claims on social media that a Chinese tourist had been warded for suspected infection of the virus.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said state health officials would update him on the matter.

“Preventive measures, however, have been put in place. Screenings are being conducted at the airport, we have our health officials there to ensure the virus will not spread into Sabah,” he said after visiting the Sabah International Convention Centre site here.

Shafie said with the necessary systems in place, suspected cases could be detected early.

Claims on social media had it that a Chinese tourist who was in Sabah for about a week and was about to return to his hometown was believed to have been admitted at a hospital here after he was suspected to be infected with the novel coronavirus.

It was also claimed that the tourist was most likely a boy who was screened at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) on Wednesday.

It is said that he was later taken to a hospital for further checks and tests but doctors have yet to confirm whether the patient was positive for the virus.

Sabah Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Frankie Poon said KKIA had been put on a high alert and all international flight passengers entering the state would be screened.

“Screenings have already begun at the disembarkation point after the aerobridge before the Immigration clearance areas for flights from Wuhan effective Jan 4.

“Isolation will be carried out immediately once symptoms are suspected or detected in a passenger.

“Currently, there are no reported cases of the virus in Sabah,” he said.

Poon, accompanied by Sabah Health Department director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi, also spent several hours at KKIA to check the health screening process.

He said many Malaysians were expected to return home while tourists, especially from China, would come to Sabah during the Chinese New Year celebrations.

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) meanwhile was not expecting the virus to have a significant impact on tourism in Malaysia.

MATTA President Datuk Tan Kok Liang said for inbound arrivals, the only direct flights from Wuhan were to Kota Kinabalu.

“The Sabah market also covers other major cities in China.

“There will be an impact, but not a huge one,” he said.

Tan said the outbreak might dampen bookings for new travel arrangements but so far there has been few cancellations amongst their members.