207 illegal immigrants tested positive for COVID-19 - Immigration DG

A total of 207 of the 13,929 illegal immigrants detained at three Immigration Detention Depots in Peninsular Malaysia have been found to be positive for COVID-19 infection.

Immigration Director-General Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud said 110 of those infected have been sent to the COVID-19 quarantine and treament centre at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) for treatment.

"The rest of the infected immigrants are still in three Immigration Detention Centres in Bukit Jalil, KLIA, and Semenyih," he said.

Khairul Dzaimee was speaking to Bernama after accompanying Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri to the MAEPS quarantine centre here today.

Also present was the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador.

At the same time, he said, 238 immigration officers stationed at the three detention centres were ordered to be quarantined for 14 days and their duties taken over by other officers.

Khairul Dzaimee said to date, there are 14,496 illegal immigrants at the detention centres including in Sabah and Sarawak.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said his visit to the detention centre today was to look at the capacity of the facility to hold COVID-19 patients if the numbers increased.

He said the detention centre can support 600 patients and the government has already identified more quarantine centres for illegal immigrants if their numbers increased.

-- BERNAMA