Despite fears over the outbreak across the Causeway, taxi drivers are putting aside that worry in order to make a living.
Based on Bernama’s observation at the Larkin Bus Terminal here today several taxi drivers, who continued to ferry their customers into Singapore, have taken various precautionary measures to prevent the virus from spreading into the country.
As an example, taxi driver Zailani Mustapha, 53, said he would clean his taxi twice a week rather than once weekly, hoping it could prevent him from contracting the virus.
“Although I’m scared, I believe my measures are working and I’ve even put lemongrass leaves in my taxi to prevent mosquitoes from coming in,” he said.
Another taxi driver Ahmad Wasilan, 59, said he saw no reasons why taxi drivers should reduce their operations to and from Singapore due to the Zika virus.
According to him, what was more important was to implement preventive measures as touted in the media.
He sprayed mosquito repellent in the car every time he crosses the border from Singapore to ensure no mosquito from that country were brought back, he said.
Since Aug 31, a total of 115 Zika cases were reported in Singapore while Malaysia recorded its first case when a woman from Klang was found to have been infected with the virus after returning from the island republic on Aug 21.
While in the latest case, a 61-year-old man in Sabah was confirmed to be infected with the virus and believed to be the first case of a locally transmitted infection. — Bernama
