COVID-19 screening only involves Sungai Buloh Prison

COVID-19 screenings conducted only involved 600 inmates at a Sungai Buloh Prison block following an inmate was found positive yesterday.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said it was not done for other prisons across the country as only the Sungai Buloh Prison has been reported to have a COVID-19 positive case.

"The principle is the same, we only filter in the affected areas. If it happens at the Sungai Buloh Prison, then it is only there and not all prisons in Malaysia.

“So, at the Sungai Buloh Prison we filter unless there is a COVID-19 case in another prison," he said at a press conference here on Tuesday.

The COVID-19 screening was conducted starting today in a block involving a case of a foreign inmate who tested positive.

At the same time, the screening will also be performed on all prison staff.

"In the Sungai Buloh Prison, there are 8 prison blocks. Because only one block is positive, then only that particular block is filtered. There is no necessity to do the same in other blocks.

"As of today, we will do the screening in the relevant block, there are 600 prisoners, we will do all. But for the prison staff, all 700 will go for screening," he said.