THERE are still students in more than 1,000 private madrasah that have yet to come forward for Covid-19 screenings, said Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said the ministry is urging madrasah management to contact the health authorities so their students can be screened.

“We are concerned about the number of positive cases found in madrasah and tahfiz schools.

“We have identified 370 schools where 120 of its students are connected to the tabligh cluster.

“The 120 schools were visited by the tabligh congregation more than five times,” he said at the ministry’s daily press conference in Putrajaya today.

He said currently 635 people from madrasah and tahfiz schools have been infected with Covid-19, out of 12,384 tested for the virus.

“We have indentified 19,209 teachers, students and staff at madrasah and tahfiz schools.”

He said authorities are still carrying out screening at some schools.

“There are students who are staying at the madrasah where some have tested positive for Covid-19 and there are those who went home.

“Out of the 120 schools, we will trace the students and if they are positive, we will screen their family as well.”

He said the authorities are concerned asymptomatic students will infect older family members and other people.

“We urge those returning home to practice procedures such as sanitisation and social distancing to prevent the spread of infection.” – May 14, 2020.