COVID: Workplace clusters make up 39 per cent of active clusters - Dr Noor Hisham

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is facing the rise of workplace clusters, which have recorded a high number of new COVID-19 cases, besides the festive and interstate clusters, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

In a posting on his Facebook page, Dr Noor Hisham said 233 workplace clusters were recorded as of yesterday, involving 16,785 active cases.

He said the number of workplace clusters made up 39 per cent of the total 593 clusters still active in the country.

Dr Noor Hisham said the was a decline in the number of sub-clusters reported every week now compared to before the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) 3.0 on May 12 where several restrictions and closure of sectors were announced, including instruction to work from home, which was later enhanced starting last Tuesday.

He said the sub-clusters include the public administration cluster, as well as construction and service clusters.

However, Dr Noor Hisham said the number of manufacturing sub-cluster reported each week had shown an increase from 14 per week before MCO 3.0 to between 21 and 25 per week after the enforcement of MCO 3.0.

"As such, the Ministry of Health is urging all workers to comply with the standard operating procedures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections at their workplaces.

"Employers should also play an important role to ensure full compliance of the SOP at their premises," he added.

-- BERNAMA