Many feared that such activity will lead to an increase in COVID-19 cases, despite the fact that a majority of adults in the country have been vaccinated.

Well, the fear has kinda come true.

More than 40,000 people screened

A total of 149 people who visited Kedah during the travel bubble programme, which started on 16 September, have been found to be COVID-19 positive after being tested with the Antigen Rapid Test Kits (RTK-Ag), Malay Mail reported.

This has been confirmed by Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham in a statement.

On top of the travellers who tested positive, he added that another 186 people have been identified as close contacts.

A total of 40,458 people had been screened throughout the duration of the programme, Dr Noor Hisham revealed.

“This (total) involves 34,038 people who were screened at seven airport entry gates and 6,420 people through ferry at Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah,” he said.

Prior to this, it was widely reported that a three-year old child became the first Langkawi travel bubble tourist to test positive for COVID-19 on 26 September.

According to Dr Noor Hisham, the toddler's parents, who were fully vaccinated, was confirmed to be negative before leaving for Langkawi.

“The case was asymptomatic and all close contacts were given Home Surveillance Orders (HSO),” he was quoted as saying.

Popular hotel closed

On Monday (4 October), a popular hotel in Langkawi was ordered to close down temporarily after 50 of its staff tested positive for the virus.

New Straits Times reported that in total, 59 people tested positive out of 249 people who were screened.

State Health director Dr Othman Warijo told the news portal that initial investigations found that the transmission began from the community before spreading to the workplace.

"On Oct 1, the state Health Department reported the emergence of the Dah Teluk Nibung cluster in Langkawi. The case transmission has been categorised as a workplace cluster.

"As of today, this cluster comprised local staff and close contacts involving family members," he was quoted as saying.