KUALA LUMPUR: Sekolah Menengah (SMK) Sains Banting, Kuala Langat in Selangor is the latest school to be placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) when 71 students there tested positive.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the students were among 471 individuals who were screened for Covid-19.
"The locality has a high infectivity rate and the Health Ministry has confirmed that the spread of cases is still happening.
"Following a risk assessment by various agencies, the technical committee based on recommendation from the Health Ministry has agreed to enforce the EMCO starting tomorrow (Saturday) until May 7," he said in a statement today.
"The EMCO is being carried out to detect cases early and curb the spread of infection among students and staff," he said.
Ismail Sabri said the government would be extending the EMCO for four localities in Sabah and Sarawak.
In Sabah, the localities affected by the extension are Lahad Datu and Kampung Muhibbah Raya in Tawau starting Apr 25 until May 8.
In both the localities the EMCO was scheduled to end tomorrow.
"In Lahad Datu, the Health Ministry confirmed a significant increase in the number of cases reported on week 15 compared with week 14, which saw a rise of 175.3 per cent or 128 cases.
"The sporadic cases involving several sub-districts such as Segama, Silabukan and Felda Sahabat areas.
"Kampung Muhibbah Raya, Tawau, also recorded 70 positive cases from 622 screening tests done.
"The Health Ministry reported there is a continued spread of Covid-19 among the residents under EMCO. There are 310 samples still awaiting for results," he said.
Ismail Sabri said the extension of EMCO in Sarawak involved Rumah Panjang Jalan Bukut Balingan and PKPD Politeknik Mukah in Mukah for 14 days starting Apr 25 until May 8.
He said the EMCO implemented in both localities were scheduled to end tomorrow.
"The Health Ministry recorded 96 cumulative positive cases from 349 screening test involving Rumah Panjang Jalan Bukut Balingan residents.
"There is still a continuous spread of Covid-19 among the residents under EMCO and 14 screening samples are still awaiting results."
Only one locality, Kampung Bukit Belacon, Sagam, Lahad Datu in Sabah will be lifted from EMCO phase on schedule tomorrow (Apr 24), Ismail Sabri said.
"Until today, the Health Ministry had conducted 148 screening tests and recorded 11 positive cases.
"The Health Ministry reported the remaining active cases shown a declining trend and cluster is controlled.
"After a risk assessment by various agencies under the technical committee and Health Ministry recommendations, the government agreed to lift the EMCO in Kampung Bukit Belacon, Segama, Lahad Datu, Sabah on Apr 24 as scheduled," he said.