GEORGE TOWN – More than 80 Penang Immigration Department personnel deployed to the Juru depot in Bukit Mertajam are under quarantine after two detainees tested positive for Covid-19 two days ago.
The Vibes learnt that the depot has been sanitised, and the affected personnel have undergone preliminary screening for the virus.
They are now under quarantine at the detention facility for two weeks, pending the outcome of their test results.
It is learnt that the two detainees, believed to be foreigners, were recently transferred from the state prison in Jawi to the depot.
They have been admitted to a hospital on the Penang mainland for treatment.
It is believed that the Immigration Department has started an inquiry into the matter, while other authorities are trying to establish the index case.
Health authorities are monitoring the families of the immigration officers under quarantine, and conducting contact tracing.
Penang has two main Covid-19 clusters – Penang Remand Prison and Seberang Prai Prison in Jawi.
Yesterday, Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said four new clusters have been identified, two each in Sabah and Penang.
He said the Assumption cluster involves patients in Seberang Prai Utara and Seberang Prai Tengah in Penang, and Kulim in Kedah.
The index case tested positive following a voluntary screening on Wednesday, and close-contact screening found nine other cases. All have been admitted to Penang Hospital.
Dr Noor Hisham said the authorities have screened another 10 people from this cluster, with a total of 56 waiting for their results.
He said the index case in the Rajawali cluster tested positive on November 6, and contact tracing led to the detection of another nine cases.
Ninety people have been screened, he said, with 10 testing positive and the rest awaiting their results. – The Vibes, November 15, 2020
