A TOTAL of 71 close contacts have been called up by the central Seberang Perai health district office to undergo swab test following the closure of the Bukit Mertajam Market after three cases of Covid-19 were reported there recently.
Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) mayor Datuk Rozali Mahmud said the health district office had informed 25 individuals yesterday and an additional 46 today to undergo the test.
The market is being closed from May 31 to June 8.
Rozali urged the traders to cooperate and undergo the screening for their own sake as well as for public health and safety.
He also warned traders to abide by the standard operating procedures (SOPs) after one of them, a vegetable wholesaler, was caught for entering the market to unload his goods without permission.
The trader was fined RM5,000 by the Health Ministry for non-compliance of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease Regulations.
He was issued two additional compound notices, one for removing barbed wire to gain entry to the market and the other for obstruction by placing his goods on the five-foot way of the market.
“Traders from the market are warned that they cannot operate by the roadside at Jalan Pasar and Jalan Bunga Raya but those operating from premises outside the market are allowed,” Rozali said in a press conference on MBSP Facebook live today.
Rozali added that to ensure that each SOP set by the National Security Council for the total lockdown from June 1 to 14 could be understood by all levels of society in Penang, especially to traders and hawkers in Seberang Perai, the MBSP has taken the initiative to provide a summary through infographics.
The infographics have been uploaded on MBSP Facebook and Instagram social sites.
Rozali added that traders, hawkers and small businesses in Seberang Prai that are listed under the essential services and have valid MBSP licences could operate without having to obtain approval letters from the Ministry of International Trade and Industries (Miti).
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix courtesy of MBSP