KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) said today that it was informed around 13,000 people work at 28 of Top Glove Corporation Bhd’s factories, and authorities are planning to screen all of them following the rise of cases in the Teratai cluster.

In its daily statement, it said that the previous enhanced movement control order (EMCO) mandated on company workers’ dormitories had only involved around 5,900 people, with 43.8 per cent infection, or 2,524 positive Covid-19 cases among 5,767 tested.

"The information received from the factory management found that the total of workers are around 13,000 people working in 28 different factory buildings,” Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in the statement.

"The Klang District Health Office is cooperating with the management for the planning to screen all these workers.”

MOH said so far those found positive were 164 locals and 2,360 foreigners, all within the age of two to 68.

"Most of the cases from this cluster are workers in the area of Meru, Klang,” he said.

In a separate statement, Top Glove said 16 of its facilities in Meru have temporarily stopped production since November 18, while 12 others have been operating at much reduced capacities.

"We are committed to proceed with the MOH recommended Covid-19 screening test for the balance workers and staff of our factories in Meru, Klang,” it said.

"The safety and well-being of our employees and local community is our utmost priority towards containing the situation and to flatten the Covid-19 curve.”

This comes as the National Security Council (NSC) said today it has decided to close the factories of glove manufacturer Top Glove Corporation Bhd in stages, following a spike in Covid-19 positive cases among its workers.

Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said prior to this, the government had already announced the implementation of the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) for the dormitories of the male and female workers at Top Glove’s factory in Klang.

Today, the Teratai cluster recorded a whopping 1,067 new Covid-19 cases, making it 76.6 per cent of the country’s yet another record high of 1,884 new cases.