The Penang government has taken heightened precautions following an uptick in Covid-19 infections, after more than three months of being declared free from new cases.
Penang Island City Council (MBPP) said in a statement yesterday that several immediate containment measures have been taken following the latest case recorded on Aug 14 in Teluk Kumbar. Penang currently has seven active Covid-19 cases.
The measures include restrictions on activities starting from the border at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Batu junction along Jalan Teluk Kumbar to the Puspakom traffic light junction, as well as Kampung Tengah including areas surrounding Gertak Sanggul.
Among others, MBPP announced a temporary closure of the Teluk Kumbar night market on Tuesdays and Sungai Batu night market on Thursdays. Meanwhile, the morning market at Taman Sahabat can operate but will be subjected to closure following any breach in standard operating procedures.
All dine-in activities are temporarily suspended and MBPP said operations of restaurants or traders will be subjected to increased monitoring, with the possibility of an immediate closure order. Similarly, barbers and hair salons are also subjected to increased monitoring.
Restrictions are also in place for outdoor activities as MBPP announced the temporary closure of two public parks - Taman Poket Teluk Kumbar and Tanah Lapang Pasir Belanda.
Meanwhile, The Star reported that 59 members of a medical team from the Penang Adventist Hospital (PAH) were forced to quarantine after coming in direct contact with a patient from Kulim, Kedah, who sought treatment there.
According to the report, two doctors and 57 nurses were ordered to undergo home quarantine after the 56-year-old woman later tested positive for Covid-19.
PAH chief executive officer Ronald Koh reportedly confirmed that the medical team had undergone Covid-19 antigen tests and is now under a strict stay-home order.
"We closed off the ward, with thorough cleaning and disinfection done.
"We temporarily closed the hospital as well and will resume services tomorrow," said Koh, as quoted by The Star.
"It is unfortunate. It can happen at any hospital," he added.
On Aug 7, the Kulim patient was reportedly admitted to PAH due to a leg infection and was asymptomatic upon admission.
Through contact tracing later, the patient was identified as a close contact and sister-in-law of the index case in Kedah’s Tawar cluster and was transferred promptly to the Penang Hospital, where she tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.
The Tawar cluster involved family members who attended a memorial service of a family member, held from July 31 to Aug 1.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah yesterday announced that Penang has two more new cases, also connected to the Tawar cluster.
There are currently six active cases in Penang.
Meanwhile, the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) mayor Rozali Mahmud yesterday stressed that there were no red zones in Penang as yet.
However, he reportedly said Penang has four yellow zones, with three on the mainland and one on the island. They are - Seberang Perai Tengah, Timur Laut, Seberang Perai Selatan, and Barat Daya.
Red zone classification is accorded to areas with over 40 positive cases, yellow zones are areas that record up to 40 cases, while green zones are areas deemed Covid-19 free. - Mkini
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