Covid-19 spreading through food? No such reports yet, says DG

CORONAVIRUS | There have been no reports that the Covid-19 can be spread through food, said Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said.

This comes following concerns that some takeaway restaurants have had workers confirmed positive for Covid-19.

“We have not heard of the virus spreading on food but if one of the workers is positive for Covid-19, then we have to screen the close contacts of that restaurant,” he said during a press conference in Putrajaya today.

Ikea Tebrau had this morning said they were temporarily closing its food for takeaway service after one of their staff tested positive.

Meanwhile, Hisham said the sanitisation tunnel project in Tawau, Sabah is a good innovation but stressed again that the Health Ministry only looks at evidence-based treatments and data.

“It could be a good innovation but as the Health Ministry, we are based on facts, that means we need evidence and facts, so we would suggest that when we provide services. 

"Maybe we need to look at the research, whether it shows it is effective or not, what kind of chemicals is being used,” he said.

Hisham also stressed that one of the targeted approaches the ministry was taking is to do mass screening among high-risk groups, meaning those who have had close contact with patients or who attended mass gatherings.

The ministry is also still conducting ongoing screening for the Rohingya community with the assistance of NGOs, such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Mercy Malaysia.

So far, he said, about two or three of them have been found to be positive for Covid-19. - Mkini