IT is still too early to know whether the Federal Government would implement the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) for the Ara cluster area in the state, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said.
Chow was asked whether the EMCO could be imposed by the Federal Government in the area after the discovery of the Ara cluster, its first group of Covid-19 infections in the state.
“It is still too early to make that conclusion,” he said after launching the Tadika Whytehouse at Tech Dome Penang today.
Chow said there were two cases detected from the cluster at the moment with one from the index case and the other involving a relative.
“Contact tracing had been carried out even before the cases were revealed.
“So far, the number of cases spread from the cluster is still unknown. This might take a few days to know whether the situation will improve or worsen.
“So far, 14 close contacts had undergone swab tests and results revealed only two positive cases. We don’t know how many new cases will emerge; it may stop there, or it may worsen,” Chow said.
“Let us be resilient, vigilant and practise standard operating procedures (SOPs),” Chow added.
The Health Ministry had yesterday revealed the Ara cluster was detected after a 44-year-old man was tested positive upon arriving in Sandakan, Sabah, from Peninsular Malaysia on Sept 15.
After close contact tracing was done, another positive case was detected and the relative, who is a primary school pupil, was admitted to Penang Hospital for treatment.
It is learnt that pupils of the patient’s class would be screened.
Chow added that the state Health Department director would brief him on the Covid-19 situation if the situation worsens.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi
Video by Law Suun Ting