GEORGE TOWN: The decision to extend the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Penang for another two weeks is based on scientific data and facts by the Health Ministry, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said today.
He said, as of yesterday, the R-naught (R0) nationwide was at an average of 0.88 while Penang's Rt was higher at 1.01.
"All five districts in the state are still in the red zone, with two additional clusters recorded namely
Tapak Bina Persiaran Mutiara and Jalan Baru clusters.
"We must continue to strictly observe the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) as the Covid-19 virus is everywhere in our midst.
"The Health Ministry's data also showed that about 90.3 per cent of reported Covid-19 patients between Jan 1 and Feb 12 did not show any symptoms," he said.
Chow said the Health Ministry also stressed that special attention should be given to infection within the community, which is currently about 70 per cent involving various age groups.
"Additionally, the manufacturing sector continues to record the highest number of clusters followed by the construction, services, public administration, retail and education clusters.
"As such, efforts to break the chain of infection need the commitment of all, particularly to continue to strengthen the new normal, abide from SOP, and strengthen enforcement," he added.
In Penang, said Chow, in the sixth epidemic week (between Feb 7 and Feb 13), the Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC) received a report of a total of 1,068 positive Covid-19 cases, of which 766 cases (71.7 per cent) were citizens and 302 cases (28.3 per cent) were non-citizens.
"Overall, a total of 8,953 Covid-19 tests had been conducted throughout week six, with the majority of testing focus on closed contact (positive cases), workplace screening (in factories and construction sites) and symptomatic screening," he added.
Meanwhile, Chow said for screening involving non-citizens under the "Program Saringan Prihatin (PSP) Perkeso" implemented by the Social Security Organisation (Socso) and on the employers' initiative involving the manufacturing and construction sectors, the state Health Department reported that until Feb 15, some 51,002 foreign workers had been screened.
He said as for the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM), Penang branch's application for the implementation of mass screening for both citizens and non-citizens, the state government is still awaiting feedback from the Health Ministry to a letter written on Feb 2.
Earlier this afternoon, the government announced that the MCO would be extended for another two weeks, from Feb 19 to March 4, for Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang and Johor.