PUTRAJAYA: There are 88 positive Covid-19 cases detected at three construction site clusters involving foreign workers, with the exception of one Malaysian, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
Out of 488 samples taken at a Kuala Lumpur construction site cluster, 31 positive cases involved 29 Bangladeshi and two Indonesian workers.
Over at the Setia Alam construction site cluster, 91 samples were taken and 13 were confirmed positive, all of which were workers from Bangladesh.
As for the second Kuala Lumpur construction site cluster, 350 samples were taken and 44 tested positive involving 34 Bangladeshis, nine Indonesians and one Malaysian.
Dr Noor Hisham said the three clusters were detected following the mandatory Covid-19 screening for foreign construction workers at red zones in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur as stipulated by the National Security Council (NSC) during the Control Movement Order (MCO).
"As of today, a total of 27,383 construction site workers have been screened for Covid-19 by their respective employers.
"The Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Health Departments have also ordered the closure of the Kuala Lumpur 2 construction site and its 'kongsi' (quarters)," he added.
He said sanitisation and disinfection works at the construction site and quarters were being carried out.
Dr Noor Hisham attributed the cause of the Covid-19 transmission among foreign workers to the cramped construction work sites and the crowded living conditions which deter the social distancing practice as well as poor hygiene and environment.
He said the onus was on the employers to educate their workers on hygienic practices and other deterrent steps and also to ensure that the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are not only practiced at their work place but also at their accommodations to reduce the risks of Covid-19 transmission.
Dr Noor Hisham urged employers to ensure that beds were spaced one or two metres apart, avoid food preparation and consumption in large groups, avoid crowding of leisure spaces as well as ensure that the accommodation's toilets and its surrounding areas were cleaned and sanitised.
"Our efforts to fight Covid-19 will be in vain unless there are compliance of the SOPs at the workplace and accommodation. Efforts to resolve the living conditions of foreign workers need to have the cooperation of all parties and is done holistically and comprehensively.
"The order by the council for all foreign construction workers in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur to be screened is a precautionary measure to ensure the status of their health before they are allowed to return to work.
"It is also a step to stop the transmission. Prevention is better than cure," said Dr Noor Hisham.