GEORGE TOWN, Feb 9 ― Penang has recorded a high number of cases last week due to new clusters involving the manufacturing sector and construction sites.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said a total 912 Covid-19 cases were detected between January 31 and February 6.

“Out of the 912 positive cases, a total 624 cases or 68.4 per cent involved locals while the balance, 288 cases or 31.6 per cent involved foreigners,” he said in a statement today.

Chow said the number of cases according to clusters were 194 cases under the Mayang Pasir cluster, 102 the Beringin cluster, 75 the Valdor construction site cluster and 15 the Seberang Perai Prison cluster.

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The remaining cases were due to workplace screening (206 cases), close contact screening (172 cases) and other screening tests (148 cases).

“Overall, a total 8,873 tests were conducted throughout that period involving health facilitates under the state health department,” he said.

He said a majority of the screening tests are focused on close contact, the work place in the manufacturing and construction sectors and patients with symptoms.

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As for the screening of registered foreign workers under the Socso Covid-19 screening programme or screening tests conducted by employers involving the manufacturing and construction sectors, as at February 7, a total 49,681 workers have been screened.

“The federal government must immediately look into the downward trend of employers conducting screening tests on their own initiatives due to cost issues and the inability to provide quarantine stations to conduct the screening tests,” he said.

Chow said there are now 27 Covid-19 Assessment Centres (CAC) in five districts all over the state including drive-through services.

“The public can contact the CAC in their respective districts and more information on the CAC can be accessed on the state health department and Penang Lawan Covid-19 Facebook pages,” he said.

He said the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) has approved a RM2 million application to Penang to set up a low-risk Covid-19 treatment and quarantine centre at the MARA Excellence Centre in Jawi in South Seberang Perai.

He said the gathering of data is important to focus on the right actions to be taken and data from the health ministry as at February 7 has revealed that under the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic, 472 clusters involved the workplace as compared to only 25 clusters in the second wave.

“In the third wave, clusters involving the manufacturing sector recorded the highest number of cases followed by the services and construction sectors,” he said.

Chow said enforcement must be enhanced without compromise while screening tests, either under Socso  or through the employers' own initiatives, must continue to be held.

“Compliance to SOPs is the best vaccine,” he said.