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MELAKA: The exponential increase in positive Covid-19 cases in Melaka on Thursday (December 17) is due to the influx of inmates from two remote prisons, says Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.
Melaka’s chief minister said the record number of 98 cases in a single day was caused by the transfer of prisoners from Kajang and Sungai Buloh prisons since November.
“The large number of cases was recorded in the Jasin Correctional Facility, where the transferred prisoners had their own previous Covid-19 groups.
“There was no infection within local communities,” he said in a statement to The star on Friday (December 18).
Sulaiman said the influx of estranged prisoners had crowded the Jasin correctional facility.
He noted that between November 22 and December 16, 880 inmates were transferred to the Jasin center.
Sulaiman said that as of Dec. 16, there were a total of 35 Covid-19 positive inmates who were referred to Melaka Hospital.
“The conditions of all the inmates seeking treatment were stable,” he said.
On Dec. 17, Sulaiman said 98 inmates tested positive, bringing the total to 133 cases.
Of the total, he said that 110 are local and 23 are foreigners.
“I would like to emphasize that the increase in cases was limited to the prison group and not to the community,” he added.
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