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Socso’s PSP for Covid-19 screening : Only RT-PCR tests will do

KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Security Organisation will only accept the ‘Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction’ (RT-PCR) method for Covid-19 screening under its Program Saringan Prihatin (PSP) initiative and not the ‘Rapid Test Kit (RTK) Antibody’ methodology.

Socso said it was taking this measure based on the latest guidelines from the Health Ministry (KKM) on Covid-19 screening which only recognises RT-PCR as the methodology and the National Security Council’s decision on the same matter.

“Socso views the recommendation on the Covid-19 screening methodology for workers at high risk very seriously, The screening tests will be undertaken by the existing service providers and also others who will be appointed to enable more efficient delivery.

“This screening is compulsory for foreign workers in the construction sector or those working in red zones only,” Socso said in a statement here today.

Prior to this, Socso had announced that under its PSP initiative on testing for Covid-19 on workers of companies operating during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period would entail two phases namely RT-PCR followed by the RTK Antibody.

Socso will be providing more information at its Portal Prihatin Perkeso at https://prihatin.perkeso.gov.my. –Bernama

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May 9, 2020
Statement on the third meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
The third meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), took place on Thursday, 30 April 2020, from 12:00 to 17:45 Geneva
time (CEST).

Proceedings of the meeting

Members and advisors of the Emergency Committee were convened by teleconference. Membership of the Emergency Committee was expanded
to reflect the nature of the pandemic and the need to include additional areas of expertise.

The Director-General welcomed the Committee, thanked them for their commitment to enhancing global public health, and provided an overview of the major achievements in the COVID-19 response since the last Emergency Committee meeting on 30 January 2020.
Representatives of the legal department and the Department of Compliance, Risk Management, and Ethics (CRE) briefed the members on their roles and responsibilities.

The Ethics Officer from CRE provided the members and advisers with an overview of the WHO Declaration of Interest process. The members and advisers were made aware of their individual responsibility to disclose to WHO, in a timely manner, any interests
of a personal, professional, financial, intellectual or commercial nature that may give rise to a perceived or direct conflict of interest. They were additionally reminded of their duty to maintain the confidentiality of the meeting discussions and
the work of the committee. Only those committee members and advisers who were not considered to have any perceived or direct conflict of interest participated in the meeting.

The Secretariat turned the meeting over to the Chair, Professor Houssin. He also welcomed the Committee and reviewed the objectives and agenda of the meeting.

The WHO Regional Emergency Directors and the Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE) provided regional and the global situation overview. After ensuing discussion, the Committee unanimously agreed that the outbreak still constitutes
a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and offered advice to the Director-General.

The Director-General declared that the outbreak of COVID-19 continues to constitute a PHEIC. He accepted the advice of the Committee to WHO and issued the Committee’s advice to States Parties as Temporary Recommendations under the IHR.

The Emergency Committee will be reconvened within three months or earlier, at the discretion of the Director-General. The Director-General thanked the Committee for its work.

Advice to WHO

Coordination, planning, and monitoring
- Continue to lead and coordinate the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic in collaboration with countries, the United Nations (UN), and other partners.
- Work with fragile states and vulnerable countries that require additional technical, logistical and commodity support.
- Establish mechanisms to compile lessons learned from country and partner experiences and WHO missions and share the best practices and updated recommendations.
- Provide further guidance to countries about adjusting public health measures, taking into account the different epidemiological situations of the pandemic.
- Promote the inclusion of all interested countries, including low- and middle-income countries from all regions, in the Solidarity clinical trials for therapeutics and vaccines.
- Continue efforts with partners to obtain equitable access to personal protective equipment, diagnostics, and biomedical equipment essential to the pandemic COVID-19 response.
- Continue to coordinate global expert networks in epidemiology, laboratory, vaccines, clinical care, infection prevention and control, social sciences, and operational research; modelling; and other technical support.
One Health
- Work with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and countries to identify the zoonotic source of the virus and the route of introduction to the human population, including
  the possible role of intermediate hosts. This should be accomplished through efforts such as scientific and collaborative field missions, which will enable targeted interventions and a research agenda to reduce the risk of similar events.
- Work closely with OIE and FAO to provide guidance on how to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections in animals and humans and prevent the establishment of new zoonotic reservoirs.
- Work with partner organizations and countries to strengthen the global food supply chain, protect food workers, properly manage food markets, and mitigate possible disruptions to the food supply.
Essential Health Services
- Support countries to assess and manage the unintended consequences of public health measures implemented to control the COVID-19 pandemic, including gender-based violence and child neglect.
- Support countries to monitor their ability to provide and strengthen essential health services throughout a likely extended COVID-19 response. This should include, but is not limited to, essential prevention for communicable diseases, particularly
  vaccination; services related to reproductive health, including care during pregnancy and childbirth; care of vulnerable populations, such as young infants and older adults; provision of medications and supplies for the ongoing management of chronic
  diseases, including mental health conditions; continuity of critical inpatient therapies; management of emergency health conditions and common acute presentations that require time-sensitive intervention; and auxiliary services, such as basic
  diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, and blood bank services.
- Support countries to address shortages of essential medicines and health products, personal protective equipment, and other medical supplies and to establish sustainable risk management practices to prevent future shortages.
Risk communication and community engagement
- Continue risk communications and community engagement activities through the WHO Information Network for Epidemics (EPI-WIN) and other platforms to counter rumours and misinformation.
- Continue to regularly communicate clear messages, guidance, and advice about the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, how to reduce transmission, and save lives.
- Work with partners and countries to articulate potential long-term consequences of COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the need for strengthened cross-sectoral preparedness, transparency and global coordination.
Surveillance
- Clarify the testing strategy, support countries to increase testing capacity, and aim to provide equitable access to diagnostic tests and supplies in light of market failures and global shortages.
- Continue to provide guidance on monitoring disease trends using Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) and Influenza Like Illness (ILI) surveillance systems in anticipation of the co-circulation of influenza viruses.
- Develop qualitative and quantitative indicators that countries can use to assess and monitor SARS-CoV-2 transmission at all levels of public health response.
- Continue to support countries and partners by providing technical and operational guidance, training platforms, and tools such as Go.Data,to enhance case identification and contact tracing capacity, strengthen the public health workforce, and engage
  communities for contact tracing.
- Provide clear qualitative and quantitative indicators to monitor SARS-CoV-2 transmission to inform the adjustment of public health and social measures.
Travel and Trade
- Continue working with countries and partners to enable essential travel needed for pandemic response, humanitarian relief, repatriation, and cargo operations.
- Develop strategic guidance with partners for the gradual return to normal operations of passenger travel in a coordinated manner that provides appropriate protection when physical distancing is not feasible.
- Update recommendations on appropriate travel measures and analyze their effects on international transmission of COVID-19, with consideration of the balance between benefits and unintended consequences, including entry and exit screening, education
  of travelers on responsible travel behaviour, case finding, contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine, by incorporating evidence on the potential role of pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission.
To all States Parties

Coordination and Collaboration
- Support WHO leadership and continue to collaborate with WHO at all levels of the organization and with other countries to enable effective global COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and response.
- Participate in global solidarity efforts to enable access to essential supplies for all.
- Document and share lessons learned from efforts to control the pandemic, including the timing, pace, and sequencing of the application and lifting of public health measures.
Preparedness
- Strengthen preparedness for health emergencies, and build resilient health systems, incorporating lessons learned during different stages of the pandemic, and sharing experiences with other countries.
Surveillance
- Work with WHO and multisectoral partners to interrupt transmission by maintaining robust surveillance systems; enhancing capacities for case detection, testing, isolation of cases, contact tracing, quarantine of contacts, and rapid response; strengthening
  the public health workforce; and actively engaging communities for contact tracing, with a particular focus on high risk areas.
- In settings where testing a large proportion of suspected cases is not possible, monitor overall trends; undertake early detection through laboratory confirmation of a limited number of cases with a focus on health workers; and rapidly implement
  public health measures.
- Share with WHO all data necessary to conduct global risk assessments through data platforms, such as the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System and the IHR mechanism. These data should include SARI and ILI where available.
- Use the WHO qualitative and quantitative indicators to assess and monitor SARS-CoV-2 transmission at all levels of public health response.
Additional Health Measures
- Avoid restrictions on international transport of food, medical and other essential supplies and permit the safe movement of essential personnel required for an effective pandemic response.
- Implement appropriate travel measures with consideration of their public health benefits, including entry and exit screening, education of travelers on responsible travel behaviour, case finding, contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine, by
  incorporating evidence on the potential role of pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission.
- Implement and monitor case finding and contact tracing of travellers, using digital tools where appropriate.
- Continue to review travel and trade measures based on regular risk assessments, transmission patterns at origin and destination, cost-benefit analysis, evolution of the pandemic, and new knowledge of COVID-19.
- Engage in global efforts to respond to the challenges of COVID-19 in managing maritime vessels.
- Do not implement trade restrictions beyond those considered to be of public health importance in accordance with relevant international agreements.
- Continue to provide appropriate public health rationale to WHO for additional health measures in accordance with IHR.
Health Workers
- Prioritize the protection of the health workforce through access to training and provision of personal protective equipment, infection prevention and control measures, improved working conditions, application of WHO recommended testing strategies,
  and prevention of stigma and attacks on health workers.
Food Security
- Work with WHO and partners to strengthen the global food supply chain, protect food workers, properly manage food markets, and mitigate possible disruptions to the food supply, especially for vulnerable populations.
One Health
- Promote sound practices to manage risks of trade of live animals in food markets and regulate trade of exotic wildlife.
Risk Communications and Community Engagement
- Continue to engage communities to address rumours and misinformation and keep the public informed, with a focus on vulnerable populations.
Research and development
- Address research gaps such as: routes of transmission, including the role of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic infection droplet, contact, fomite and aerosol transmission; and viral shedding; and animal source and intermediate hosts, in collaboration
  with partners.
- Continue to support and conduct COVID-19 research, in line with the WHO Research and Development Blueprint, and the road map for COVID-19 vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics.
- Continue sharing full genome sequences to increase global understanding of virus evolution and phylogenetics and their application to public health practices.
Essential Health Services
- Maintain essential health services throughout a likely extended COVID-19 response. This should include essential prevention for communicable diseases, particularly vaccination; services related to reproductive health, including care during pregnancy
  and childbirth; care of vulnerable populations, such as young infants and older adults; provision of medications and supplies for the ongoing management of chronic diseases, including mental health conditions; continuity of critical inpatient
  therapies; management of emergency health conditions and common acute presentations that require time-sensitive intervention; and auxiliary services, such as basic diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, and blood bank services.
- Continue to track and document the impact of COVID-19 on essential health services.
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May 9, 2020
Five Nigerians In China Test Positive For Coronavirus

Five Nigerians based in China have tested positive for Coronavirus, Daily Mail UK reports.

Out of the bunch, four had recently visited the same eatery, ‘Emma Food’, multiple times, the Guangzhou Health Commission announced on Tuesday.

The restaurant owner, alongside her daughter and another child, later tested positive for the pandemic.

Wuhan, the former epicentre, on Wednesday saw all travel restrictions lifted after 76 days.

Seven people, who tested positive for Coronavirus, have been linked to the same restaurant in China, sparking fears.

The Nigerian citizens with the infections were detected between March 28 and March 30, after screening 3,779 travellers from high-risk countries living in the city.

The Coronavirus epidemic erupted in China after dozens of people suffering ‘mysterious viral pneumonia’ were linked to the same seafood market in Wuhan.

Guangzhou is situated 1,028 kilometres (638 miles) South of the former epicentre.

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April 9, 2020
Making available free paediatric medicine can accelerate elimination of congenital Chagas disease
The donation of an essential antiparasitic medicine can potentially accelerate the elimination of Chagas disease infection in children. A pediatric presentation of benznidazole with accurate dosage and will soon be made available freely to address
a long-standing gap in the treatment of congenital infections of Chagas disease.

The donation, by the Mundo Sano Foundation¹ and INSud Pharma² group to the World Health Organization (WHO), is expected to become effective soon.

“Making benznidazole freely available for the treatment of newborns and children until the age of 19 will be a game-changer in the fight against Chagas disease” said Dr Mwelecele Ntuli Malecela, Director, WHO Department of Control
of Neglected Tropical Diseases. “This can save future generations from developing life-threatening and fatal complications and also boost up diagnosis and treatment contributing to congenital Chagas disease elimination.”

The three-year agreement will make available 108 000 tablets of benznidazole³ – one of the two antiparasitic medicines against Chagas disease. Treatment⁴ with benznidazole in the early stages of infection can cure Chagas
disease, prevent or curb disease progression and prevent congenital transmission in pregnant women.

“We have now added the systematic detection and treatment of all newborns and children under 19 which was not part of our recent switch from control to elimination of congenital Chagas disease” said Dr Pedro Albajar
Vinas, Medical Officer, WHO Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases. “In addition, screening of pregnant women at risk of infection who have not had past antiparasitic treatment provides an excellent opportunity for prevention of posterior transmission throughout pregnancy and birth.”

Each year, an estimated 15 000 children are born from infected mothers.

The agreement

The donation by Mundo Sano Foundation for the duration of the agreement comprises benznidazole:
- 105,000 tablets of 100mg
- 3,000 tablets of 12.5mg
Furthermore, the Foundation may donate funds to support activities associated with distribution of medicines and is ready to consider extending this agreement beyond the specified duration of three years.

The disease

Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi).

Although considerable progress has been achieved, particularly in reducing vector transmission and screening of blood and organ supply, reaching, diagnosing and providing healthcare for people most affected has been a challenge.

Currently, under-diagnosis of Chagas disease cases is as high as 90% and under-diagnosis of congenital and paediatric cases is believed not to be lower.

Globally, an estimated 6-7 million people are infected with T. cruzi.

The disease is found mainly in endemic areas of 21 continental Latin American countries⁵. But movement of people to urban areas and to other continents has expanded its transmission through non vectorial routes, such as blood transfusion,
congenital transmission, organ transplants and oral transmission through food contamination.

Considering that neglected tropical disease as a growing public health problem in many countries, the World Health Assembly – WHO’s decision-making body – decided in May 2019 to commemorate World Chagas Disease Day on 14 April.

The inaugural celebration happens this year.

¹Mundo Sano is a nonprofit international foundation working with the public and private sectors, academia, and other international organizations to provide solutions to the affected communities and generate scientific knowledge.
In 2012, it led a public-private consortium in 2012 to produce benznidazole in Argentina.

²Insud Pharma (formerly known as Chemo Group) specializes in research, development, manufacture, sale and marketing of active pharmaceutical ingredients and medicinal products for human and veterinary use.

³In 2017, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved benznidazole for the treatment of children aged 2–12, making it the first treatment approved in the United States for Chagas disease.

⁴Nifurtimox is also 100% effective in curing Chagas disease if given soon after onset of infection, including cases of congenital infection. It is donated by Bayer who pledged more than 7.5 million tablets for the period 2012-2021.

⁵Argentina, Belize, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela
(Bolivarian Republic of).

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April 8, 2020
Digital technology for COVID-19 response
WHO has acquired overwhelming pro-bono help from technology firms to struggle the COVID-19 pandemic. On 2 April, 30 of the world’s main digital technology specialists gathered in a digital roundtable to assist advance WHO’s collaborative response to COVID-19.

This pandemic has triggered an unprecedented demand for digital well being technology options and has revealed profitable options corresponding to for inhabitants screening, monitoring the an infection, prioritizing the use and allocation of sources, and designing focused responses.

“We want your dedication, so we will flip these concepts into actuality and work with public well being companies and frontline well being employees to place this pandemic to relaxation,” stated WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in his welcoming comment. “We can solely sort out this world menace – and get our financial system again on observe – by working collectively.”

The assembly was co-facilitated by Steve Davis and Precious Malebona Matsoso, co-chairs of WHO Digital Health Technical Advisory Group.

The targets of the assembly have been as follows:
1. Introduce WHO’s Digital Health & Innovation efforts for COVID-19 and search help from technology firms within the design and execution of these initiatives.
2. Build on WHO’s COVID-19 efforts by way of new collaboration and data sharing, to ship focused options by way of a coordinated effort to help international locations dealing with phases of this epidemic in numerous methods and totally different instances.
3. Share and discover identified gaps and areas that lack focus. Topics embody user-focused options, combating misinformation, provide chain administration, functions supporting well being employees, neighborhood engagement platforms, help data administration capacities, analysis and improvement help, restoration planning work.
4. Secure volunteer and pro-bono sources from world tech firms to design and execute response initiatives with WHO.
Bernardo Mariano Junior, director of WHO’s Department of Digital Health and Innovation, known as for unity in response efforts, “The world must be properly ready and united within the spirit of shared accountability, to digitally detect, shield, reply, and put together the restoration for COVID 19. No single entity or single nation initiative will likely be enough. We want everybody.”

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April 4, 2020
Chagas disease: providing free paediatric medicine can enhance diagnosis and treatment
Documentation resulting in the donation of an important antiparasitic medicine for the treatment of Chagas illness to the World Health Organization (WHO) is within the ultimate stage of preparation.

A 3-year settlement, between the Mundo Sano Foundation¹ (Brazil) and WHO, is anticipated to make obtainable 108 000 tablets of the paediatric formulation of benznidazole² – a first-line medicine towards Chagas illness. Treatment³ with benznidazole within the early levels of an infection can treatment Chagas illness.

“Making benznidazole freely obtainable for the treatment of newborns till the age of 18 might be a game-changer within the battle towards Chagas illness” mentioned Dr Mwelece Ntuli Malecela, Director, WHO Department of Control of Neglected Tropical
Diseases. “This is not going to solely save future generations from growing life-threatening and deadly issues however can even increase up diagnosis and treatment.”

Each yr, an estimated 15 000 youngsters are born from contaminated moms. A freely obtainable paediatric presentation of benznidazole with correct dosage is essentially anticipated to contribute to deal with congenital infections.

“Treating newborns and youngsters was the lacking hyperlink, as we transfer decisively to advocate for the mixing of diagnosis of an infection amongst pregnant ladies and women of child-bearing age into different surveillance programmes, together with HIV and syphilis” mentioned Dr Pedro Albajar Vinas, Medical Officer with WHO’s Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases. “Diagnosing and treating ladies of this age group earlier than being pregnant can increase successfully stop congenital transmission.”

The settlement

The donation by Mundo Sano Foundation at some point of the settlement includes benznidazole:
- 105,000 tablets of 100mg
- 3,000 tablets of 12.5mg
Furthermore, the Foundation might donate funds of as much as US$100 000 at some point of the settlement to help actions related to distribution of medicines and conferences. The Foundation additionally makes provision for an extension of this settlement past
the required length of three years.

The illness

Chagas illness, often known as American trypanosomiasis, is a doubtlessly life-threatening sickness brought on by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi).

Although appreciable progress has been achieved, significantly in decreasing vector transmission and screening of blood and organ provide, reaching and diagnosing individuals most affected has been a problem.

Currently, under-diagnosis of Chagas illness instances is as excessive as 90% and under-diagnosis of congenital transmission is believed to be even greater.

Globally, an estimated 6-7 million individuals are contaminated with T. cruzi.

The illness is discovered primarily in endemic areas of 21 continental Latin American international locations⁴. But motion of individuals to city areas and to different continents has expanded its transmission by means of non vectorial routes, akin to blood transfusion, congenital
transmission, organ transplants and oral meals contamination.

Considering the illness as a rising public well being drawback in lots of international locations, the World Health Assembly – WHO’s decision-making physique – determined in May 2019 to commemorate World Chagas Disease Day on 14 April.

The inaugural celebration occurs this yr.

¹Mundo Sano is a nonprofit worldwide basis working with the general public and personal sectors, academia, and different worldwide organizations to supply options to the affected communities and generate scientific information. In 2012, it led a public-private consortium in 2012 to provide benznidazole in Argentina.

²In 2017, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted benznidazole for the treatment of kids aged 2–12, making it the primary treatment accepted within the United States for Chagas illness.

³ Nifurtimox can be 100% efficient in curing Chagas illness if given quickly after onset of an infection, together with instances of congenital an infection. It is donated by Bayer who pledged greater than 7.5 million tablets for the interval 2012-2021.

⁴ Argentina, Belize, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela
(Bolivarian Republic of).

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April 3, 2020
‘Covid Camp’ helps reduce risk of Covid-19 infection

JOHOR BARU: Concerned in regards to the security and luxury of frontliners, the Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) has taken the initiative to improve its Covid-19 screening centre, often known as the ‘Covid Camp’.

HSI Emergency and Trauma Department head Dr Maryam Sumaiya Ahmad Termizi mentioned via the initiative which was additionally carried out to minimise the risk of Covid-19 infection for healthcare staff, the centre has been reworked from utilizing canvas tent beforehand to air-conditioned tent.

She mentioned the centre which was the brainchild of HSI medical doctors, assistant medical officers in addition to public relations officers was in-built collaboration with numerous events together with non-governmental organisations and company firms.

“The risk of infection can be reduced if we keep a safe distance with patients. The setting up of a separate air-conditioned tent can also help reduce the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and provide comfort the personnel.

“Previously, our personnel would sweat excessively when wearing the PPE but now they feel more comfortable and it has also helped boost their morale,” she instructed Bernama right here at this time.

Maryam Sumaiya who has been serving at HSI since 2014 nonetheless, mentioned that these well being personnel had been nonetheless required to work outdoors the tent to take samples of sufferers particularly kids.

She mentioned beforehand, sufferers needed to endure screening on the Emergency Department of the hospital which was normally congested.

Maryam Sumaiya mentioned the centre can also be outfitted with different services comparable to prayer rooms and bathrooms for the healthcare personnel in addition to sufferers. — Bernama

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April 2, 2020
Johor cops warn 866 tabligh gathering participants to come forward

JOHOR BARU: The remaining 866 participants of the Sri Petaling mosque Tabligh gathering from Johor who have yet to come forward for a health screening have been warned that they face strict action by the authorities.

Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said 2,086 participants from Johor were identified to have attended the gathering and from those, 1,220 of them had undergone screenings in hospitals.

“We have identified (the remaining 866) and we will be calling them. If they still not do want to come forward for screening, we will take strict action as we have given time numerous warnings.

“No more deadlines for them. We will contact them and persuade them to present themselves,” he told reporters at the Johor police contingent headquarters, here today.

In a related development, he said 73 participants of the Ijtima of Asia 2020 tabligh gathering in Sulawesi, Indonesia, have re-entered Johor via the Stulang Laut and Puteri Harbour ferry terminals since March 23.

Ayob Khan said all of them were now undergoing a 14-day quarantine at their homes.

On the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) enforced on two areas in Simpang Renggam, Ayob said there was one violation case reported there yesterday.

He said the case involved two men in their 20s who tried to flee from the roadblock mounted in Parit Linau, Simpang Renggam.

“In the 8.45pm incident, the two men were stopped at the roadblock after which they tried to escape.

“After further checks police found 0.6 grammes of heroin in a bag carried by one of them,” he said.

Both are now under police custody for violating the EMCO and for possession of drugs, he added. – Bernama

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April 1, 2020
Menara City One cases linked to Sri Petaling tabligh cluster

PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry (MOH) has found that the Covid-19 cases detected at the Menara City One condominium tower in Kuala Lumpur are linked to the Sri Petaling mosque tabligh cluster.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the index case at the building had attended the tabligh gathering at the Sri Petaling mosque.

“The index case then went on to infect 12 members of his family in the building.

“The number of cases rose drastically after that, up to 17 cases, which led to the building being subjected to the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO),” Dr Noor Hisham said at the Covid-19 daily media briefing at the ministry, here today.

The government enforced the EMCO on Menara City One, located in Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Kuala Lumpur effective today until April 13.

Dr Noor Hisham added that the MOH has been screening every unit at the condominium tower since yesterday. – Bernama

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March 31, 2020
Covid-19: Marang Prison takes precautionary measures

KUALA TERENGGANU: Although a prison is relatively safe from Covid-19 as its inmates lack interaction with the outside world, the Marang Prison has taken precautions to reduce the risk of infection.

Marang Prison director Assistant Commissioner Wan Sani Abd Latiff said screening of all personnel and visitors has been conducted and those with body temperatures exceeding 36 degrees Celsius are not allowed in.

“All staff and visitors are also required to use hand sanitisers and face masks. The management has also prepared a rest house for officers who have completed their guard duty at hospital wards to clean themselves up before heading home,“ he told Bernama when contacted, here today.

No Covid-19 cases have been reported at the Marang Prison, which has 2,910 inmates and 398 staff, he added.

He said about 25 personnel from the Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) unit and Terengganu Fire and Rescue Department carried out cleaning and disinfection exercises at the prison this morning.

“As an additional precautionary measure, new prisoners will be screened outside the main entrance and those experiencing Covid-19 symptoms will undergo medical examination and be quarantined in separate rooms.

“The prison personnel are also practising social distancing at work as advised by the Health Ministry,“ he said, adding that officers have been briefed by the prison’s health personnel on the threat posed by the virus. – Bernama

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March 31, 2020