Sarawak bans China visitors with immediate effect

CORONAVIRUS | The Sarawak state government has imposed an immediate ban on all visitors from China to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state.

"The disease is no longer just in the Hubei province but has spread to other places in China.

"This means we are forced to make decisions as other cities have also not to allow them into Sarawak," Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg was quoted as saying by Astro Awani.

A statement by the Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee later stated that foreigners who had visited China in the last 14 days would also be subject to the ban.

Exceptions will be made for those who have employment, student or extended social visit passes. Those exempted, however, must be home-quarantined for 14 days.

Sarawakians returning from China are also required to undergo home quarantine.

Sarawak has had several suspected cases of coronavirus but none have tested positive thus far.

Sarawak had earlier banned the intake of workers from China to mitigate the spread of the disease.

Sabah, which like Sarawak has autonomy over its immigration policy, has banned all incoming flights from China.

For Peninsular Malaysia, only visitors from Wuhan city and the surrounding Hubei province have been barred from entering.

There are eight confirmed cases of coronavirus in Malaysia, all of which involve China nationals.