JOHOR BARU, Dec 7 — The popular Angsana Johor Baru Mall in Tampoi here has been ordered to close for seven days from tonight following the detection of several Covid-19 cases within its premises.

Johor Health director Datuk Dr Aman Rabu said the order was given after an assessment found the risk of infection to be growing.

He said all workers in the mall have been asked to voluntarily undergo Covid-19 screening to prevent the coronavirus from spreading into the community.

"The order for the temporary closure of the shopping mall will start at 8pm tonight until December 14 to enable disinfection and sanitation work to be carried out comprehensively, as well as to allow employees in the premises to undergo screening,” Dr Aman told reporters when contacted.

He said the temporary closure notice for the mall was made under Subsection 18 (1) (f) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

Notices of the closure were pasted at various entrances to the Angsana Johor Baru Mall when Malay Mail visited this evening.

The Health Ministry had earlier today recommended the temporary closure of a shopping mall in Johor Baru after the discovery of several Covid-positive cases, but the name was not disclosed then.

The recommendation follows public backlash on social media, with users flooding Angsana Johor Baru Mall’s official Facebook account with angry comments demanding its closure after news first trickled out that several workers had tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month.

It was learnt that the shopping mall’s management had thrice conducted disinfection and sanitation work of the building on December 2, 4 and today.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had yesterday announced a third and new Covid-19 cluster in Johor Baru with 17 cases. It was named the Jalan Tampoi cluster.

The first person to be infected was identified as number 67,151, who tested positive on December 1 after suffering symptoms.