COVID-19: Jalan Othman market residents undergo screening, five held for violating EMCO

Residents around the Jalan Othman Market here, which has been placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO), began undergoing COVID-19 screening at about 4 pm today.

A Bernama survey found that Ministry of Health (MOH) personnel, in full personal protection equipment (PPE) gear, began setting up the screening centres as early as at 1 pm and about 2,600 residents, including foreigners, are expected to be tested over the next five days.

Meanwhile, many residents were seen leaving their homes for the COVID-19 screening centres to undergo tests in stages.

Three screening centres have been set up at the EMCO zone, with Zone A at the food court; Zone B at Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan (Cina) Chen Moh; and Zone C next to the bus terminal.

Meanwhile, police arrested five individuals for violating the EMCO in the area today.

Petaling Jaya District Police chief ACP Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal said one of them, in his 30s, was found to be driving a lorry under the influence of alcohol near the market at midnight.

“Four others were arrested for trying to flee from the EMCO area,” he said.

Bernama today reported that Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had announced that the area surrounding Jalan Othman Market (also known as PJ Old Town Market) here would be the latest to be placed under the EMCO, effective from today until May 23.

The area was placed under EMCO after the MOH confirmed that 26 positive COVID-19 cases had been detected there.

-- BERNAMA