Puchong church member tests positive for Covid-19

PETALING JAYA: A parishioner from the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Puchong has tested positive for Covid-19, the Chancery of the Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur revealed.

In a notice, its chancellor Rev Fr Michael Chua said the parishioner was admitted to the Sungai Buloh Hospital after testing positive for the virus on Thursday.

“We are waiting for more details and further directions from the Health Ministry (MOH). We anticipate that the MOH will begin the exercise of contact tracing.

“Both the parish and the archdiocese will offer our fullest cooperation to expedite this matter, ” he said in a notice issued yesterday.

Chua said the parish priest of the church, Father Albet Arockiasamy, had alerted parishioners of the situation and had begun to conduct preliminary contact tracing.

“Father Albet has also informed his parishioners, especially those who have been identified as having had close contact with the patient, to undergo testing, isolate themselves from public activities and monitor their health for the next 14 days.

“He is prepared to implement any further measures required by MOH, ” he said.

Chua said the church had conducted thorough cleaning and sanitation, adding that the church would be open for mass this weekend.

He added that Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Most Rev Julian Leow had commissioned a special crisis task force comprising clergy, medical doctors and chancery staff to help monitor developments, and to review and recommend safety guidelines for the church.

“In order to avoid unnecessary fear and panic, we call upon all Catholics to refrain from disseminating unverified news and information on Covid-19, ” he said.