Selangor Journal
A health worker administers the Covid-19 screening to a resident during the drive-through testing operation at the Gombak District and Land Office in Selayang, on April 22, 2020. — HAFIZ OTHMAN/SELANGORKINI

Selangor Covid-19 targetted screening method shown to be effective

By Wan Faizal Ismayatim

SHAH ALAM, April 22 — The state government’s data analysis method in mapping out the targetted groups for the Covid-19 screening has shown to be effective, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

The Selangor Task Force for Covid-19 (STFC) head said aside from the efforts conducted by the Health Ministry, the method used by the state using various different procedures had produced good results.

“We conducted an analysis based on selective data before we proceed with the Covid-19 screenings. We would gather some information from those who tested positive and also focus on several parameters in the red zones.

“This includes the age range, especially those who have health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cancer, as well as children and women that are in the productive age bracket,” he said in an interview with Astro Awani yesterday.

The former Health Minister also pointed out that the data analysis was essential to ensure early treatment can be given to those who are screened in the targetted community testing.

“We are able to able to identify active cases sooner with the data collected. The screening is conducted via real-time Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique,” he said.

Last week, Selangor Menteri Besar Dato Seri Amirudin Shari said four out of five identified cases from the first phase of the Selangor Covid-19 community screening operation in Hulu Langat are asymptomatic carriers.

The community screening operation in the red zone area was held on April 11 and 12 and had tested 649 people.

Since April 11, the state administration had begun conducting big-scale Covid-19 testing operations in several identified red zones across Selangor, which involves door-to-door and drive-thru services.

The community testing programme focuses on senior citizens and those who are showing symptoms such as fever, cold, cough and sore throat.

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