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PUTRAJAYA: New spikes in workplace infections are expected, particularly in Selangor, after a record daily increase with 2,234 Covid-19 cases across the country.
Health Director General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said Selangor dominated with 1,428 new cases.
The sharp increase in the number of cases is largely attributed to the Seruling cluster in Selangor, which recorded 842 new cases in just one day.
“Cases in Selangor are expected to remain high after the expansion of the Socso (Social Security Organization) selection program for foreign workers.
“Employers in Klang Valley are also taking proactive steps to screen their workers,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ministry is rigorously conducting active case-finding and contact-tracing activities in the state, he said.
“Those who tested positive for Covid-19 were isolated at Sungai Buloh Hospital and the MAEPS 2.0 Covid-19 low-risk quarantine and treatment center,” he said.
The Seruling group was first detected on December 8 and originated from factory workers in Klang.
As of yesterday, the number of positive cases in the group reached 1,029, and the infections spread to various districts of Selangor, as well as the states of Perak and Melaka.
The Health Ministry has also found more clusters of infections related to construction site workers.
Three out of five new conglomerates classified by the ministry yesterday are linked to construction sites in the Klang Valley.
He said the Tapak Bina Jalan Bukit group on Hulu Langat, Selangor, was first discovered after a person working at a construction site exhibited symptoms.
“The individual tested positive for Covid-19 on December 2.
“After that, the employer carried out a selective workplace evaluation and 46 more positive cases were detected,” he said.
Two other new conglomerates linked to construction works were found in Kuala Lumpur, which are called the Tapak Bina Condong conglomerate and the Tapak Bina Jalan Stadium.
Both groups have confirmed 39 cases so far, after more than 300 workers were tested.
The Teratai cluster, linked to workers from glove makers Top Glove, saw seven more cases.
The group is currently the largest in the country so far, with 5,266 confirmed cases so far.
Meanwhile, Dr. Noor Hisham said that three more people died due to the virus, bringing Malaysia’s death toll from Covid-19 to 396.
The deaths involved two cases in Sabah and one in Labuan.
The country also discharged 1,112 Covid-19 patients, meaning that 66,236 people have recovered.
Currently, there are 124 patients in intensive care, and 60 require ventilation.
The number of people with active Covid-19 infections in Malaysia is now 11,867.
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