Three locations in Johor and N Sembilan placed under EMCO

 

The government today announced that three locations in Johor and Negeri Sembilan will be placed under an enhanced movement control order (MCO) following an increase of Covid-19 cases there.

The lockdown involves a prison, a correctional facility and also a hall intended for relocating detainees at the Kota Tinggi district police headquarters lock up following an outbreak of the virus.

Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also the senior minister overseeing the MCO, said an enhanced MCO will take effect at Dewan Arena Segitiga, located at Lot 19094, Taman Desa Sejahtera in Kota Tinggi effective Dec 28 until Jan 10, 2021.

Ismail said the Health Ministry today discovered a spike of Covid-19 cases among detainees at the Kota Tinggi district police headquarters lock-up.

He said 125 out of the 171 detainees screened were found to have been infected with Covid-19.

"Based on the Health Ministry's advice and risk assessment, the government agrees to implement the enhanced MCO at Dewan Arena Segitiga... in order relocate all detainees infected with Covid-19 from the Kota Tinggi district police headquarters lock up," he said in a statement.

Another venue in Johor that will see an enhanced MCO effective tomorrow until Jan 10, 2021, is the Johor Bahru correctional centre and its accompanying staff quarters at Batu 19, Jalan Ulu Choh-Pontian in Johor Bahru.

Ismail said this is after 685 detainees and staff were exposed to eight people with Covid-19.

He said the eight cases were discovered between Dec 16 and 23 and had been brought to attend court proceedings in other districts.

He said the enhanced MCO in the area will affect 937 detainees, 322 staff members and 128 of their family members.

As for the enhanced MCO in Negeri Sembilan, Ismail said it will be imposed on the Jelebu prison and the accompanying staff quarters.

Ismail said this was in response to the increasing number of Covid-19 cases at the facility.

He revealed that as of Dec 22, 307 out of the 1,086 people tested were positive with Covid-19.

The infected comprise 305 prisoners and two wardens.

"The enhanced MCO will facilitate the Health Ministry's implementation of targeted screening on all prisoners, staff members and close contacts to ensure that it does not get into the community," he said.

Likewise, the enhanced MCO takes effect tomorrow until Jan 10 next year.

In a related development, Ismail said the enhanced MCO on the Persiaran Paya Terubong Flat in Relau, Penang is lifted.

The area was placed under an enhanced MCO on Dec 7 and was due to expire on Dec 31 but it is being lifted ahead of schedule.

Throughout the enhanced MCO period, a total of 5,585 residents were screened and 113 turned out to be positive with the virus. - Mkini