KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu has already finished his quarantine after returning home from abroad, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin clarified today.
“[He] came back last week and he served his quarantine already,” Khairy said when asked about his Cabinet colleague’s status.
A photo of Faizal posing at Bukit Changgang in Banting with two others went viral on Twitter after PKR political activist Adzman Kamaruddin questioned whether the minister was not required to quarantine after flying back home.
Yesterday, Faizal admitted to being among the Cabinet ministers said to be on holiday abroad amid the flood crisis.
Utusan TV quoted Faizal saying he was in Dubai last week with his two sons, as they have not seen each other for two years as the latter are studying in the United Kingdom.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said several Cabinet ministers who were on holiday overseas have already cancelled their leave and returned home following public backlash.
Separately during the press conference which was also attended by the director-general of health Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Khairy said that one cluster has also been recorded from a flood relief centre (PPS) in Pahang.
“So far if I’m not mistaken, there is one PPS cluster, but the others have been relatively manageable in terms of Covid-19,” Khairy said.
Dr Noor Hisham meanwhile, said that more than 406 people had tested positive even before being placed in the relief centres.
“So far we have identified more than 406 were positive even before they were admitted to the PPS and 10 individuals tested positive and isolated early in the PPS,” he said.
“So we urge those who are in the PPS to comply to all the SOPs and make sure that they are well informed about the situation, as well as if they have symptoms, our doctors, our nurses are there to make we can sure we can actually continue to monitor them and do the testing if necessary.
“This cluster was detected in Bentong after the floods, in the PPS and because of our screening procedures being done, before they were admitted or relocated to our PPS. This initiative will be done at all PPS and those with symptoms, we will isolate them early,” Dr Noor Hisham added.