Police probe dispatch worker put under quarantine who returned to work

 

COVID-19 | The police are investigating the actions of a dispatch worker for allegedly flouting his Covid-19 quarantine order by returning to work.

This came after a police report was lodged on Oct 13 by a company manager who spotted the person under surveillance (PUS) wearing a pink wristband at a toilet, Brickfields District police chief Zairulnizam Mohd Zainuddin @Hilmi said in a statement today.

The manager claimed that the dispatch staff member was placed under home quarantine by the Health Ministry from Oct 9 to 22, but the company was not notified on the quarantine status, Zairulnizam said.

"The complainant then instructed the staff member to go home and (continue) with the quarantine.

"The PUS was given the pink bracelet because a man who resided at the same residential area was tested positive for Covid-19.

"The Health Ministry had taken action by conducting a test on the PUS and followed with a 14-day quarantine order," he added.

The police are investigating the dispatch worker under Section 269 of Penal Code for negligence that is likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life, which carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail.

The dispatch worker is also being probed under Section 22(b) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, which provides a maximum jail term of two years.

While some guilty individuals escaped imprisonment by paying a fine, there were also cases of flouters being jailed after they were tested positive for Covid-19.

In August, the owner of Nasi Kandar Salleh in Napoh, Kubang Pasu, Kedah, who was linked to the Sivagangga cluster, was sentenced to five months’ jail for failing to observe home quarantine. - Mkini