KUALA LUMPUR:Two localities in Terengganu and one in Perak will be placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 within the community and to break the chain of infection, said Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said the EMCO would be from tomorrow until Feb 17 to enable the Ministry of Health (MOH) to implement targeted screening in the three localities -- Felda Tersat and TNB Quarters construction site in Kuala Berang, Hulu Terengganu in Terengganu as well as Felda Lasah/Kampung Besi Api in Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

“For the first location in Felda Tersat, 45 positive cases were recorded from 420 screenings.

“On the advice and risk evaluation of the MOH, the government agreed to enforce the EMCO to facilitate big-scale screening involving 583 residents from 198 residences as well as to curb infection within the Felda community,” he said in a statement on the MCO development today.

He explained that 62 positive cases, from 386 tests, were recorded at the TNB Quarters construction site in Kuala Berang.

As for Felda Lasah/Kampung Besi Api in Kuala Kangsar, the MOH recorded 35 positive cases from 71 screenings.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said police detained a total of 611 individuals yesterday for violating standard operating procedures (SOP) for the MCO, with 601 of them being compounded and 10 remanded.

Among the offences were not wearing face masks (145), unauthorised interstate/interdistrict travel (109), and no physical distancing (107), he said.

On the nationwide Op Benteng, Ismail Sabri said two illegal immigrants were detained while three land vehicles were seized yesterday.

Through inspections conducted by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) at 49 construction sites nationwide, only one was found to have violated the SOP, he said.

--  BERNAMA