KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 — A Pakistani barber operating in Setapak here has tested positive for the Covid-19 virus, Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah announced today.
The news comes two days after the government allowed hair and beauty salons, closed since March 18, to operate again under the recovery movement control order (RMCO).
“The case involved a male Pakistani who works as a barber at a barbershop in Kuala Lumpur.
“The barber who tested positive has since been warded in the Sungai Buloh Hospital for treatment yesterday and MOH is currently investigating the source of his infection,” Dr Noor Hisham said during his ministry’s daily briefing on the coronavirus.
He said the Titiwangsa Health Centre was notified about the Covid-19 positive case from a private hospital yesterday.
He said initial investigations revealed that the barbershop where the Pakistani was employed was closed during the first phase of the movement control order (MCO) from March 18 to June 9.
However, the Pakistani barber made several house calls in Setapak after receiving requests for haircuts.
“There are 25 close contacts based on his mobile phone records. Out of that, four have been identified as his housemates, while 21 others are his clients,” said Dr Noor Hisham.
He said the barbershop reopened on June 10 and the employer had sent the barber for a Covid-19 test.
“During that time, 15 close contacts have been identified to have their hair cut by the barber in the barbershop until yesterday,” Dr Noor Hisham said, adding that a total of 40 close contacts have since been identified and are currently on home quarantine.
News reports had circulated earlier that a barber in Kuala Lumpur’s Trader’s Square, Setapak had contracted Covid-19 within two days of opening.
