KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 — Denmark has become the latest country to be added to Malaysia’s Covid-19 entry ban list, following a decision by the Scandinavian country to go into lockdown.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof, in announcing the travel restriction today, said the ban applied to all foreigners including those who were in Denmark recently.
“All Denmark nationals and citizens of other countries who have been to Denmark are not allowed to enter Malaysia or be in transit at any of our entry points.
“Malaysians are advised to postpone non-essential travel to Denmark due to the risk of becoming infected with Covid-19,” he said in a statement after chairing a multi-agency working committee meeting on Covid-19 here.
He also said Malaysians, permanent residents and long-term pass holders returning from Denmark must undergo mandatory home quarantine for 14 days.
According to Mohd Redzuan, the travel ban is effective from March 14.
Denmark is the second country in Europe to impose strict lockdown measures, following in the footsteps of Italy where unprecedented travel and social restrictions took effect this week.
The decision comes after the Danish Patient Safety Authority reported 442 new cases of coronavirus yesterday, bringing the number of people in quarantine to 1,303.
With the latest announcement, Denmark joins China, South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy on Malaysia’s Covid-19 entry ban list.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had yesterday declared the Covid-19 outbreak, which has swept through over 110 countries, with at least 118,000 cases diagnosed, a global pandemic.
It’s the first time the WHO has called an outbreak a pandemic since the H1N1 “swine flu” in 2009.
