GEORGE TOWN – Penang health exco Dr Norlela Ariffin has advised public press conferences to go online for now after six journalists in Penang were infected with Covid-19 in the past week.
Several journalists who tested negative for the virus had their immediate family members come down with Covid-19.
Speaking to The Vibes, she said that although the latest standard operating procedure for Covid-19 close contacts has been updated, she still believes that online press conferences are the best bet for now, for the sake of the safety of journalists who normally have to attend many events in one day.
In a recent Covid-19 test, Dr Norlela’s husband and son have also tested positive for Covid-19.
Though Dr Norlela and her daughter tested negative, as a close contact, she has been instructed by Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah to remain in Selangor and to only travel back to Penang on March 1.
Due to the sharp increase in Covid-19 cases, Dr Norlela is reiterating her call for everyone to not put off their booster appointments and to get a third dose as soon as possible.
As of February 25, Penang has 204,614 confirmed Covid-19 cases, with a total of 18 deaths in the past two weeks.
This is a 100% increase in death rate compared to the fortnight before this.
There are 29 active clusters up until today. Of the total, 19 are from educational institutions, four from the manufacturing sector, three from detention centres, two from the workplace, and one among the high-risk group. – The Vibes, February 26, 2022
