GEORGE TOWN – Another seven detainees at the remand prison here are Covid-19 positive. They shared a cell with the eight infections announced yesterday evening.
The Covid-19 infection rate in Penang is low despite a cluster of cases at the remand prison here because swab tests are being done quickly, said chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.
“There are several levels of severity for Covid-19. I’d say all those infections in Penang are low risk.
“For those in the remand prison, the swab tests will be completed tomorrow.”
All samples will be sent to a laboratory in Ipoh to be tested for the results.
Once there is a positive case, he said isolation will be conducted under the jurisdiction of the state health officers.
As for Sabah, he said, there are people who did not want to be tested early, so by the time they get tested, they are at the later stages of Covid-19, which will be more difficult to treat.
“Early testing is a way that we can contain the infection numbers and make sure it does not spike or cause more deaths.”
He added that all of those working at the remand prison here have been tested.
There are 354 new cases nationwide as of yesterday. – The Vibes, October 10, 2020
