KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — Selangor’s spike in new Covid-19 infections yesterday was due to a backlog of cases, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said today.
Malaysia hit 5,725 Covid-19 cases yesterday — its highest caseload to date. Selangor alone contributed 3,126 cases to the national total.
The Selangor mentri besar said most of the cases that contributed to the backlog came from the results of coronavirus screening undertaken at factories, prisons as well from private clinics and hospitals that were not reported in “real-time”.
He added that some cases even dated as far back as 10 days ago.
“To overcome this problem, the JKNS (State Health Department) will compound private clinics or hospitals that did not report positive cases on the same day through the Public Health Labouratory information system (SIMKA),” he said in a statement today.
Amiruddin said factories have been identified as the biggest workplace source where Covid-19 is spreading during a special state committee meeting on security that he chaired yesterday.
He added that the state government will undertake a screening campaign it dubbed “Preventing Outbreak at Ignition Site” (POIS) to break the chain of infections at the workplace and will involve JKNS, Selgate Corporation Sdn Bhd which is a health and medical subsidiary wholly-owned by the state development arm, all local councils in Selangor, and the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers.
He did not provide further details about the campaign.
However, at least one Selangor-based manufacturer The Italian Baker Sdn Bhd which produces the Massimo Bread brand has announced a temporary disruption to its operations following the Covid-19 spike.
