GEORGE TOWN, Sept 7 — Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow today reminded the public to refer to the Health Ministry for official announcements on Covid-19 infections.

He said some still refused to adhere to the protocols that only the Health Ministry can make announcements on the infectious disease, referring to a recent incident involving an announcement by a private hospital in the state.

"They can issue advisory notes and statements only after the Health Ministry has made the official announcement of any positive cases,” he told a press conference after attending a computer handing over ceremony at the Penang Science Cluster here.

A Penang private hospital had issued a notice earlier on a suspected Covid-19 case in its accident and emergency department before the patient was transferred to the Penang Hospital.

Chow said that in such cases, the organisation should wait for the ministry to confirm and make an official announcement before it issued any notice.

"This is to avoid any panic situation,” he added.

As for the new case reported in Penang, he believed that the health department would do the necessary contact tracing and isolation to prevent the spread of the disease.