Last month, Sabah started blocking flights from China to the state. As you’d expect, this was due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Now, the state is extending that to South Korea as well. In addition to flights, the state will also be extending restrictions to travel to the state by land and sea as well.
Sabah State Secretary Datuk Safar Untong said that specifically, tourists with a travel history to South Korea within the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter the state. This includes flights transiting in the country.
There are two exceptions to this. The first is flights carrying Malaysian citizens. The other being indirect flights from South Korea that have transited elsewhere first.
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In addition, Safar also advised South Korean nationals in the state to return before their visas expire. If it has already happened, Sabah will only allow a single extension of seven days.
The travel ban was in put in place in light of 17 deaths and 2931 other reported cases of COVID-19 in South Korea. It will be effective starting tomorrow, 1 March 2020.
According to Borneo Today, the Sarawak government made a similar decision yesterday. Like Sabah, Sarawak is also banning all foreign tourists with a recent travel history to South Korea from entering.
(Source: Borneo Today. Image: Wikipedia)
