KUALA LUMPUR: Clusters linked to workplaces continue to contribute to the rise of new clusters in the country, with 1,328 detected to date, with 147,040 COVID-19 positive cases among the clusters, disclosed Health director-general, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said the manufacturing sector recorded the highest number of cases in the workplace cluster category, with 95,156 cases involving 639 clusters.

"Most of the positive cases reported in this workplace cluster category are foreigners, at 100,086 cases (68 per cent) compared with Malaysians, at 46,954 cases (32 per cent)," he said in a statement on the development of the COVID-19 situation today.

Dr Noor Hisham said a lackadaisical attitude in adhering to the standard operating procedures (SOPs), set by the government, was one of the contributors to workplace cluster cases.

He said although the ministry had set various guidelines and SOPs in the workplace, such as physical distancing, limiting the number of employees present in the workplace, etc., the level of awareness of the importance of implementing the SOPs still needed to be improved.

"Everyone, especially employers and employees need to realise that adherence to the guidelines is for their good as well," he said.

However, he said the continuous effort by employers in conducting screening tests on employees is highly appreciated, as an initial step to curb the spread of infections in the workplace.

Elaborating further, Dr Noor Hisham said according to the records of the Jalan Tiga Salak Cluster in Selangor, involving a factory in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi Industrial Area in Sepang, reported the highest number of cases, at 873 cases thus far, followed by the Industri Senawang Cluster which recorded 752 cases.

"Next is the Industri Batu Berendam Cluster in Melaka which recorded 641 cases, and the Jalan Padang Tembak Kelantan Cluster, Terengganu with 598 cases," he said.

In this regard, Dr Noor Hisham said that the enforcement of the SOPs in the workplace should be enhanced as part of efforts to curb COVID-19 infection, especially involving clusters in workplaces.

-- BERNAMA