GEORGE TOWN: All the employees at an electronic manufacturing facility will be screened for Covid-19 after seven of them tested positive for the virus.
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In a memo circulated by the company’s human resources department, the company said it had identified the infection routes following the detection of the first Covid-19 case in the premises on Nov 4.
It said close contacts had been isolated and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests had been conducted.
“Even though the isolation process is done, we see an increase of positive cases following close contact tracing.
“As of this morning (Nov 11), six more cases were detected,” said the company.
It said all seven cases were linked to two hostel units. As such, the company decided to implement risk-management procedures to contain the spread including disinfection of its facilities and having employees screened.
It is believed that the cases at the factory are linked to the Bayan clusters, with positive cases detected both in Kedah and Penang.
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Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) Penang branch chairman Datuk Dr Ooi Eng Hock said he was informed that all employees in the factory would have to undergo screening but was unsure how many employees were involved.
“I’ve yet to receive a report from the management.
“Let’s wait three or four more days to get a clearer picture of the situation,” he said.
Media reports have stated that some 1,000 employees had undergone Covid-19 screening conducted through a unique drive-through approach on Friday (Nov 13).
Dr Ooi said the impact on the company’s supply chain due to the cases was expected to be minimal.
“I urge everyone to follow all standard operating procedures (SOP) and take extra care of themselves,” he added. – THE STAR