A SARAWAKIAN who failed to declare her trip to Tunisia upon returning home may become the first to be charged under the Protection of Public Health Ordinance 1999, said Douglas Uggah Embas.

The deputy chief minister said the woman was found to be positive for Covid-19 after arriving in the state from Kuala Lumpur.

He said she flew back on Saturday via Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and was screened using the antigen rapid test kit during her transit. The result came back negative.

She was then randomly selected to undergo the more-conclusive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab test.

“The standard operating procedure at KLIA is to randomly screen transiting passengers, including Malaysians, using the PCR swab test. She happened to be selected,” said Uggah, who also chairs the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee.

Instead of waiting for the result, which would be known only the next day, the woman boarded her connecting flight to Miri, where the health declaration form she submitted to airport officials did not list her recent travel to Tunisia, he said.

Travellers are required to disclose whether they have been out of the country in the last 30 days.

“She failed to declare,” said Uggah.

As a result, he said, the woman was not made to undergo quarantine, and she went home.

“It was only the following day that state health authorities were informed by Kuala Lumpur authorities that her PCR swab test returned positive for Covid-19.”

The woman has since been admitted to Miri Hospital for observation. She is reportedly in stable condition “with no complications”.

Uggah said she may be charged with “failing, refusing and/or neglecting to fill (the form), and concealing or falsely declaring” her health status.

She faces a fine not exceeding RM3,000 if charged and convicted.

Her husband, who is also being investigated, has been tested for the coronavirus, as well as other passengers on the flight who came in close contact with her. They have been issued home-quarantine orders.

Uggah said the case is classified as “Import Category A” as the woman tested positive in the peninsula.

Sarawak on January 29 made it mandatory for all those entering the state to declare their health status as part of efforts to curb Covid-19.

One infection was detected in the state today – a manager of a construction site in Kuching where two Indonesian workers were found infected on Thursday.

The Indonesians, who are a couple, fled after testing positive. They were caught by police the same day. – June 24, 2020.