PARTICIPANTS of the Masjid Jamek Sri Petaling tabligh (missionary) event at the centre of a huge spike in Covid-19 numbers insist they are free from the virus, having gone for screening, and blame the spread on foreigners.

“I don’t think it is fair to blame us all. Some of the attendees may have their own reasons for not going to hospital but I can say majority of us went for health screening,” a 31-year-old who gave his name as Ali said.

“It is not the tabligh that spread the virus. Many people attended this programme, including foreigners. They could have been infected while they were on the plane, or at the airport.

“It just happened that they were at a mass gathering.”

Ali said he went for a check-up and tested negative for the virus.

Yesterday, the Health Ministry reported 190 new Covid-19 cases, the largest single-day increase so far for Malaysia.

Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said the majority of the cases were from the tabligh gathering at the Kuala Lumpur mosque from February 28 to March 1.

It is estimated that 16,000 people took part in the three-day programme, of whom 14,500 were Malaysians.

As of Saturday, more than 77 attendees were infected.

Meanwhile, Adham said Malaysia recorded 428 cases in total, with 42 people treated successfully and discharged from hospital.

Singapore reported citizens participating in the event having contracted Covid-19, while Brunei has stated it has 38 new cases, all of whom were attendees.

Different procedures at clinics

Ali also said news reports alleging tabligh participants refusing screening were untrue.

“I was there for the three-day programme and this issue was highlighted by the media a week after the programme ended.

“As soon as the directive was made for us to go to the hospitals, many of us, if not all of us, went for the test.

“I can say that we followed the order and majority of us went for check. Maybe there were a few who refused or did not go to the hospital,” said Ali, who is an engineer.

“When I got myself checked, the doctors at Shah Alam Hospital cleared me. They did not issue any medical leave for me and they did not tell me to self-quarantine,” Ali said, adding that other people accused him of not staying indoors.

“It is not that I refused to lock myself up but the doctors did not say anything to me.

“I even asked if I should not go to work, they did not issue a letter. So, I assumed they cleared me of the virus.

“Doctors have different opinions. For example, my friend who attended the same programme was asked to stay indoors, although he showed no flu-like symptom,” Ali added.

Meanwhile, another participant, who wanted to be known as Aiman, said his tabligh group in Sri Kembangan were cleared by doctors.

“All of us who attended the ijtimak in Masjid Jamek Sri Petaling have gone for screening at various clinics and hospitals.

“I was given a non-high-risk letter by the doctors at a government clinic in Sri Kembangan. They say I can resume work as usual,” Aiman said, adding that the spread of the virus at the event was not their fault.

Aiman also said some clinics and hospitals have different procedures.

“Some with fever were asked to go home and self-quarantine, while others could go to work as usual.

“Yet, some people who went to other clinics were asked to stay indoors, even though they showed no symptoms,” Aiman said. – March 16, 2020.