KUALA LUMPUR - Travellers entering Malaysia through the Johor international gateway must submit an application to undergo mandatory quarantine at their home or another residence at least seven days prior to their arrival, Bernama reported on Sunday (Aug 29).

Health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah said travellers would also need to undergo a screening test using the Covid-19 reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test no later than three days before departure, according to the report.

The risk assessment for travellers is made based on the application for compulsory quarantine at home.

Among the conditions are that the citizen or foreign traveller must have a house or place of residence in Malaysia, tested negative on the RT-PCR test, be fully vaccinated and that the house or place of residence is appropriate.

"Individuals receiving Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Moderna and Sinopharm vaccines must have passed the 14th day from the date of the second vaccination dose, while recipients of single-dose vaccines such as Johnson & Johnson and CanSino must have passed the 28th day from the date of the jab," Tan Sri Noor Hisham said in a statement on Covid-19 developments.

"Citizens and foreign travellers who do not meet the requirement and qualification will have to undergo compulsory quarantine at government-gazetted quarantine centres at their own expense."

Dr Noor Hisham said all travellers would have to undergo a health assessment and RT-PCR test again upon arrival at the international gateway.

Travellers with mild symptoms are required to undergo rapid test kit antigen or RT-PCR testing, and are allowed to quarantine at home. However, further action on these travellers will depend on their test results.

"Travellers who experience moderate or severe symptoms will be referred to an infectious disease physician and further action based on health assessment and expert decision," he said.

"The mandatory quarantine period for travellers from all countries is 14 days. However, it will be extended for another seven days if there is a need based on the result of their risk assessment and additional quarantine will be implemented at the same residence, house or quarantine centre."