The Ministry of Health has discovered a new cluster emerging from a detention camp holding foreign immigrants in Puchong, Bukit Jalil.
As of today, Deputy General Dr Noor Hisham claimed 35 of the immigrant tested positive after more than 600 screenings. Out of the 35, 17 were of Myanmar nationality with 15 from India and the rest from Egypt, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Officials are still investigating the origin after testing most of them, they awaiting the results from another 210 out of the 600.
Immigration depots are hotbeds with potential outbreaks, Singapore is facing massive spikes due to foreign workers who often live in cramped housing, similarly Malaysia has large immigrant population who are both legal and illegal. Dr Noor assures the public that these facilities have been provided with adequate medical supplies and detainees been advised on the SOP’s.
His ministry will be working closely with the Immigration Department, Police and other agencies to conduct thorough vetting on other depots in the country in ensuring no Covid 19 spread could occur. MOH has still idea how the virus spread in the camp and who is the main source, with many possibilities including from kitchen staffs, food handlers or even guards.
Daily cases reported are predominantly import and foreign workers, the latter is a worrying factor for Malaysia. There has been calls to round up both illegal and legal immigrants in the country and conduct a mass screening, but this will take resources and time yet extremely necessary based on what we are witnessing at the moment.
