EMCO in Sabah, Sarawak villages from tomorrow - Ismail Sabri

KUALA LUMPUR : Kampung Emperoh Jambu, Padawan in Kuching division, Sarawak and Kampung Tanah Merah in Kota Marudu, Sabah will be placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) from tomorrow until March 8.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the decision was made following a risk assessment conducted by various agencies under the Movement Control Order (MCO) technical committee as well as the advice of the Ministry of Health (MOH).

He said to date, 60 positive COVID-19 cases have been reported in Kampung Emperoh Jambu and the MOH had confirmed a sharp increase in cases in this locality, as well as a high-infectivity rate in the community.

“The implementation of the EMCO is to facilitate the MOH to carry out targeted screening involving 1,215 residents and to control infections in the community,” he said in a statement on the development of the MCO today.

As for Kampung Tanah Merah, Ismail Sabri said 57 people tested positive for COVID-19 from 226 screening tests conducted.

He said the EMCO would enable the MOH to carry out targeted screening on 545 residents in the locality and to control the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

On the compulsory screening of foreign workers yesterday, Ismail Sabri said a total of 10,288 foreigners underwent COVID-19 screening and from the total, 52 were found positive.

“Cumulatively, a total of 437,211 foreign workers have undergone the COVID-19 screening test involving 21,403 employers and of this number, 7,852 people were confirmed positive,” he said.

Ismail Sabri said a total of 509 individuals were detained for violating standard operating procedures (SOP) under the Movement Control Order (MCO) nationwide yesterday.

He said of the total detained, 466 were issued compounds, 39 others were remanded and four released on bail.

He added that 16 illegal immigrants were also nabbed, while five land vehicles were seized in Op Benteng mounted yesterday.

-- BERNAMA