Spike in Covid-19 cases expected, public urged not to travel

 

The Selangor Covid-19 Task Force (SCTF) had expected the sudden spike of new Covid-19 cases in the state.

Its head Dzulkefly Ahmad said this was due to increased targeted testing efforts among foreign workers, which the SCTF has been lobbying for.

He explained there were those in the target group who already contracted Covid-19 but could not be identified until tests were done.

"The cases were detected and the (number of cases) skyrocketed only when the government and the Health Ministry changed their policies.

"It is vital that we recognise the importance of correct and coherent policies to address the third wave," Dzulkefly added in a statement today.

Yesterday, the Health Ministry reported that Selangor recorded 1,428 new Covid-19 cases in a 24-hour period.

The Seruling cluster alone accounted for 843 of those cases, mostly confined to the Kapar and Klang districts but has spread to five others as well.

This cluster is believed to be linked to at least one factory in the Jalan Seruling vicinity in Taman Klang Jaya, neighbouring Taman Bukit Tinggi.

[For 14-day cumulative new cases count at mukim (locality) level, click here. For details of new cases by clusters, click here. There may be delays to updates by the respective state Health Departments.]

Dzulkefly said 90 percent of new cases reported yesterday involved workplaces, citing the Teratai, Seruling, Perigi, Bah Manggis, Usaha and Sri Jujur clusters as examples.

"This is the main reason for the spike in Selangor. The balance are cases that are not related to clusters or 'unlinked cases' which occur sporadically in the community," he added.

However, he warned that there could be a "spillover" to the community from these workplace clusters.

In view of this, the former health minister said residents in Selangor must recognise that the state was a "red zone" and resist the urge to travel.

"It is important for the people of Selangor to resist the urge to return to their kampung by crossing district or state lines.

"We might bring the virus back to the kampung, to our parents and families whom we love, even if we are asymptomatic," Dzulkefly added. - Mkini