KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 ― There is a need to relook Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in Peninsula prisons, Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham said today.
“As 25 per cent of today’s positive cases came from the prison premises in Peninsular Malaysia… we will increase screening not just in the prisons but also at remand, lockup and detention centres,” he said at the ministry’s daily Covid-19 briefing.
The country recorded 869 Covid-19 cases ― the highest to date ― out of which 186 cases are from Penang’s existing clusters (Penang Remand Prison and Seberang Perai Prison) and 37 are from the Alor Setar Prison in Kedah.
Dr Noor Hisham also stressed that there was a need to protect the inmates in the respective prisons.
“They need to be protected and one of the ways would be to increase screening and heighten public health measures,” he added.
The Penang Remand Prison and the prison quarters are currently placed under an enhanced movement control order (EMCO) following spike in cases.
Prior to this, the Alor Setar Prison area has also been placed under EMCO since October 6.
These two prison clusters make the third and fourth penal institutions in the country to record Covid-19 infections after Tawau in Sabah and Alor Setar in Kedah.
