Foreigners form 11.45 pct of Covid-19 patients

CORONAVIRUS | The total number of foreigners in Malaysia which contracted Covid-19 stood at 601 as of noon today.

This meant that foreigners formed 11.45 percent of all Covid-19 cases in the country so far.

Currently, 356 foreigners are being treated while 242 have recovered and three deaths have been recorded.

"They include tourists, migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers," Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said during his daily press briefing today.

Among the biggest group of foreign patients include those from Indonesia (108 cases), the Philippines (104), Bangladesh (63), India (60) and Pakistan (51).

In view of the fact that slightly over 50 percent of Singapore's Covid-19 cases involved foreigners, Noor Hisham said Malaysia must take additional measures to prevent the spread of the virus among foreigners.

He said employers with a large workforce must perform the following at the workplace:

- Conduct temperature checks and screening for Covid-19 symptoms.

- Prepare adequate facilities for hand washing or provide hand sanitisers.

- Regularly sanitise common areas.

- Ensure social distancing of at least one metre by preventing workers from gathering in confined spaces.

Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry was also working together with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to undertake preventive measures mandated by the government.

He said the Health Ministry was also working with NGOs and foreign missions to inform foreigners of preventive measures in their native tongue. - Mkini