US Embassy spokesman Michelle Kevern was quoted as saying that the alert, which advised its citizens here to return to the United States immediately, was issued in March last year.
“Advising US citizens to go home isn’t new and not specific to those in Malaysia, ” she said, The Star reported.
Kevern’s clarification follows a message that went viral on social media stating that the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia was so severe that the embassy had been prompted to issue an alert.
The message came just over a month after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a “Level 4 – Avoid All Travel” health notice for Malaysia.
The notice stated that “travellers should avoid all travel to Malaysia”, as it might increase their risk of contracting Covid-19.
Malaysia is currently in the thick of a third wave of infections, with new daily cases regularly breaching the 1,500 mark.
The US leads the world in total cases, daily infections and deaths, and has averaged 214,014 cases a day over the last week according to the New York Times.
Kevern also said the recent health alert to its citizens provided updated information about Putrajaya’s policies on visa and immigration status.
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