THE 35 government officials who attended a post-cabinet meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office on May 21 have tested negative for Covid-19, said Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. 

However, the director-general of health said all 35 will have to undergo 14 day quarantine in line with the ministry’s standard operating procedure. 

“On day 13, we will swab them again, and if it is negative they can return to work,” he added. 

The PMO said in a statement yesterday that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will start his 14-day quarantine at home after an officer who attended a post-cabinet meeting he chaired tested positive for Covid-19.

A PMO statement said Muhyiddin took the Covid-19 test yesterday morning and the result was negative.

Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry is also conducting active contact tracing, including the family of the infected official and attendees of the meeting.

Among the civil servants who attended on quarantine now are Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali, Attorney-General Idrus Harun, Auditor-General Nik Azman Nik Abdul Majid and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Azam Baki.

Meanwhile, he added that attendees of government meetings will have to be screened. 

He said SOPS such as hand-washing before entering the meeting room and social distancing is also enforced. – May 23, 2020.