KUALA LUMPUR – Eight staff members of Zoo Negara have been confirmed as victims of the Covid-19 pandemic, including the keeper of its panda enclosure.
Zoo Negara deputy president Rosly @ Rahmat Ahmat Lana confirmed the tip-off received by The Vibes regarding the illnesses, but added that three staff members have already recovered.
Earlier, a source had alerted The Vibes to the infections at the national zoo, including of the panda keeper and his wife, who runs the canteen there.
Rosly said that the zoo follows all standard operating procedures (SOPs) drawn up by the National Security Council (NSC), and that it is likely the infected staff members were infected outside the workplace.
“We are following the SOPs and have made sure all their close contacts have been tested. These include their family members and anyone at work the patient may have had contact with.
“Those who were working with positive patients were also require to quarantine,” Rosly said.
As for zookeepers, whom the source said were among those who tested positive, Rosly clarified that the zoo animals were not at risk.
“These animals have their own antibodies that are strong. That’s why they can drink drain water with no problems,” Rosly said.
Last month, Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) general council member A. Sivananthan had told The Vibes that Zoo Negara staff were required to attend work during the movement control order period, posing risks for infection.
He said that zookeepers were also required to work full-time with no shift rotation.
This, Sivananthan had said previously, could result in the entire department not being able to work should one zookeeper test positive, as all co-workers may have to be quarantine at the same time. – The Vibes, July 2, 2021
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