KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 — Putrajaya has announced today an enhanced movement control order (EMCO) in seven villages in Hulu Langat, after 71 positive cases were identified among 274 residents of a tahfiz school there.

The two-week EMCO effective this midnight will involve the areas of Batu 21 to Batu 24 in Sungai Lui, involving 3,918 residents from 700 households, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.

"Taking into account the high total cases in the school, the government with the advice of the Health Minister has decided to implement an EMCO, the second after Simpang Renggam,” Ismail Sabri said.

He was referring to the Maahad Tahfiz An-Nabawiyyah in Sungai Lui, where students learn Quran memorisation.

The seven villages comprise of five Malay-majority villages, and two Orang Asli villages.

Last week, Putrajaya announced the EMCO in two areas in Simpang Renggam after recording 61 positive cases of Covid-19 there, out of 83 in Kluang.

During the order, all local and visitors in the areas are subject to house curfew, while non-locals are not allowed in with all entry points blocked.

In addition, all business activities must halt during the period.

Any essential food item will be distributed by the Social Welfare Department. A medical base will also be set up there.

Police officers, Armed Forces, Civil Defence Force, and People’s Volunteer Corps (RELA) personnel will be stationed there to enforce the order.

Earlier today, Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has not ruled out the possibility of EMCO in more areas in Selangor, as the state had a high number of Covid-19 cases in a number of areas.

Yesterday, Malay Mail reported that Kepong and Klang were now officially red zones or Covid-19 hotspots with more than 40 cases each, and Lembah Pantai continued to record the highest number of Covid-19 patients while Hulu Langat had overtaken Petaling Jaya in terms of Covid-19 case numbers.