.jpg "Seberang Perai Mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud speaks to reporters during a press conference at Komtar October 17, 2019. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Sayuti Zainudin")
SEBERANG PERAI, Aug 13 ― The Kepala Batas market has been ordered to close 10 more days until August 22, after 41 traders and workers were confirmed positive for Covid-19.
Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) Mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud said a total 79 traders and workers in the market have been screened as at August 13.
“Out of the 79 screened, 41 were positive for Covid-19 through the RT-PCR test of which 16 are traders and 25 are workers,” he said today.
The Kepala Batas market was initially ordered to close for three days from August 11. But the latest findings now means the initial plan for its reopening tomorrow has to be postponed.
Rozali said the district health office has conducted checks on the market and ordered that the market be closed until August 22 or until further notice due to the high risk of cases being spread in the location.
He said it will also allow the authorities to trace the close contacts, sanitise the market and screen the remaining traders and workers in the market.
Meanwhile, the Bukit Mertajam market, which was ordered to close on August 4, will be reopening tomorrow.
Rozali said as at August 13, a total 277 traders and workers have been screened using the RTK-Antigen and RT-PCR tyts.
“Out of the 277, a total 59 were positive and this involved 31 traders and 28 workers,” he said.
He said the market have been closed for 10 days so it will be allowed to resume operations tomorrow after all of the traders and workers have passed the Covid-19 incubation period.
“However, individual traders and workers who are still under quarantine are not allowed to operate or work at the market or they will face strict action,” he said.
He added that if any workers in the market were found positive after this, their employer - the stall operator ― will need to close the operations of their stall for 10 days from the date the worker was tested positive, even if the employer tested negative.
He said this is to lower the risks and spread of Covid-19 at the market.
He stressed that workers and traders at the market who had failed to undergo screening for Covid-19 will not be allowed to resume operations.
“Only those who have been screened and are negative and have completed the quarantine period will be allowed to open for business,” he said.
He said any traders and workers who failed to comply or were found positive will have their stalls and businesses shut down immediately.
He said only those with low risk status on their MySejahtera will be allowed to operate as usual and only customers with low risk status will be allowed into the market.
