PETALING JAYA: A total of 28 factories belonging to Top Glove in Kapar, Klang, will be closed in stages following a surge in Covid-19 cases linked to the Teratai cluster.
“There are 1,067 cases there today (Monday) alone. The factories will be closed gradually so that their workers can be tested, ” said Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Last Tuesday, a Top Glove workers’ dormitory and the surrounding area were placed under an enhanced movement control order (MCO).
Top Glove, in a statement yesterday, explained that it had temporarily stopped production in 16 facilities in Meru, Klang, since last Wednesday.
The remaining 12 facilities in Meru had been operating at much reduced capacities.
“We have completed full screening of about 5,700 workers at our hostels, ” it said, adding that it would proceed to screen the rest of the workers and staff of its factories in Meru.
“Disinfection exercises at our premises and accommodation are also conducted regularly, with all the necessary precautionary measures strictly in place, ” it added.
Yesterday, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah told a press briefing that the factory management had stated that the entire worker population there numbered about 13,000 people working in 28 different buildings.
“The Klang District Health Office is working with the factory management to conduct a screening on all its employees, ” he said.
He noted that 5,767 people had been screened so far with 2,524 of them testing positive, while 1,913 others were awaiting the results.
The cases in this cluster, Dr Noor Hisham said, comprised 164 Malaysians and 2,360 foreigners whose ages ranged from two to 68.
“All the positive cases have been admitted to hospital and their close contacts have been quarantined to prevent the virus from spreading to other workers, ” he said.
So far, no one in this cluster requires treatment at the intensive care unit. No deaths have been reported as well.
In another development, the government has allowed restaurants and certain businesses such as convenience stores and petrol stations in areas under the conditional MCO to open until midnight.
The decision was made after numerous requests were made to extend their closing time, which was set at 10pm, said Ismail Sabri.
“This change in operating hours will take immediate effect, ” he told reporters.
He also said that the enhanced MCO had been enforced at the Seremban prison and the prison quarters for 14 days until Dec 7, which would impact 2,080 people.
“The Health Ministry has conducted 246 Covid-19 tests there and 25 positive cases were found, ” he said.
Ismail Sabri also said that the conditional MCO in Kuching had been extended to Nov 27.
On enforcement updates, he said 807 people had been detained on Sunday for failing to adhere to the SOP.
Nationwide Ops Benteng statistics showed that 85 illegal immigrants were arrested.
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