KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — Two localities in Johor will be placed under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) from tomorrow until January 15, 2021 following a surge in positive Covid-19 cases at workers hostels there, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the affected localities are the Kejora Juara workers hostel in Bukit Pasir in Muar district and the Westlite 1 and Westlite 2 workers hostels in Senai district.
The EMCO on Kejora Juara workers hostel involves 17 blocks housing 1,828 foreign workers.
The Westlite 1 and Westlite 2 workers hostels comprise two and five blocks respectively, housing a total of 4,444 residents, also all foreign workers.
“The Health Ministry (MOH) today reported a rise in positive Covid-19 cases at the Kejora Juara workers hostel and as at December 31, 2020, a total of 338 tests have been conducted, with 212 positive cases detected,” he said in a statement today.
“MOH also reported an increase in positive Covid-19 cases at the Westlite 1 and Westlite 2 workers hostels, and as at Dec 31, 2020, 95 screenings have been conducted, with 20 positive cases recorded among residents of the two hostels.
“MOH also confirmed that there is a high risk of infection at the workplace and among industrial workers staying at these hostels,” he added.
Ismail Sabri also announced that the EMCO at Apartment Ria in Jalan Genting in Bentong district, Pahang was lifted today, earlier than the scheduled end on January 6.
He said this decision was taken after all residents in that locality had been screened and there were no more samples with pending results.
“So far MOH has conducted 1,042 screenings and of this number, only two positive cases of Covid-19 were recorded,” he added.
— Bernama
