GEORGE TOWN – The popular Jelutong Public Market here has become the latest complex to be closed in Penang after four Covid-19 cases were recorded at its premises.
Penang Island City Council (MBPP) Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said the closure is effective immediately for sanitisation and to implement the necessary precautionary measures against the virus.
He confirmed that the infected individuals are traders operating at the market.
The wet market, which attracts a flurry of locals every morning, sees the closure of 60 stalls inside the building and 186 stalls lined along Jalan Penaga, Lorong Ipoh and Lorong Batu.
“It will be closed immediately and we will announce when it will open again on our social media sites,” Yew said during an impromptu press conference this afternoon.
The total number of people set to undergo Covid-19 screening is, however, yet to be determined. The Health Ministry (MoH) is expected to contact those required to undergo the test.
Yew urged everyone to follow health SOPs in place, urging those managing and conducting businesses in markets to only allow customers classified as “low risk” on their MySejahtera app to enter their premises.
17 from Bagan Ajam market AWOL
Meanwhile, the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) has ordered for the closure of the Bagan Ajam Public Market to be extended 10 more days from today until May 26 after eight new Covid-19 cases involving close contacts of market personnel were identified.
Seberang Perai Mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud said apart from the eight, 17 traders required to undergo screening tests have gone AWOL, despite having been contacted by the district health authorities.
“MBSP was informed that there were 38 traders listed by the Health Department to do the swab test but 17 of them failed to show up.
“Therefore, MBSP has decided not to allow traders to return to business for as long as the test results have not been submitted,” he said in a statement today.
It is understood that the affected traders in the Bagan Ajam market are from the food and pork sales section only.
Rozali urged the 17 traders to contact the district health centre’s operations room before 6pm to get an appointment, or they can update the centre on their test results if they have undergone testing at a private clinic.
Should they disobey, MBSP will work with the police and the state Health Department to hunt them down under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342), he warned.
“MBSP also encourages all traders in the Bagan Ajam market to perform the Covid-19 screening test and inform MBSP of the results,” he said.
The Bagan Ajam market was ordered to close three days from May 13 after authorities detected 43 Covid-19 cases there on May 12 through the Jalan Terbilang cluster.
Several stall owners and their workers were affected. The cluster recorded one death.
The cluster is believed to stem from a 49-year-old Myanmar man who was found positive for Covid-19 on May 5 after an individual screening.
Meanwhile, three nursing homes in George Town were also ordered to close on Saturday after 36 people there tested positive. Penang Health Department director Datuk Dr Asmayani Khalib confirmed that 70 staff and residents of the home at Jalan Katz have undergone Covid-19 treatment.
“The Health Ministry has identified it as the Lebuh Katz cluster involving high-risk individuals. The situation is under control and those who tested positive are receiving treatment,” she was reported as saying by Bernama. – The Vibes, May 17, 2021
With additional reporting by Sofia Nasir
