Targeted enhanced MCO at Tawau prison extended for another 14 days
COVID-19 | The targeted enhanced movement controlled order (MCO) imposed at Tawau prison and its personnel quarters in Sabah has been extended for another 14 days.
According to Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the government had made the decision after considering the risk of the outbreak spreading further, as new cases continued to increase at the facilities.
It was initially imposed for 14 days and supposed to end last Friday (Sept 25).
"The government previously announced that the targeted enhanced MCO at Tawau prison and the prison quarters at Taman Ehsan in Tawau would be...
COVID-19 | The targeted enhanced movement controlled order (MCO) imposed at Tawau prison and its personnel quarters in Sabah has been extended for another 14 days.
According to Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the government had made the decision after considering the risk of the outbreak spreading further, as new cases continued to increase at the facilities.
It was initially imposed for 14 days and supposed to end last Friday (Sept 25).
"The government previously announced that the targeted enhanced MCO at Tawau prison and the prison quarters at Taman Ehsan in Tawau would be imposed beginning Sept 11 until Sept 25, 2020.
"During the period, the rate of new cases in the area was recorded at two figures daily, and on Sept 23, a total of 107 new cases were reported there.
"Considering the risk assessment on this outbreak, the government has agreed to extend the targeted enhanced MCO on this area for another 14 days, which is beginning Sept 26 until Oct 9," said Ismail, who is the defence minister.
He said these in a media statement released this evening.
The Covid-19 cases at Tawau prison facility is a part of the Benteng Lahad Datu Cluster, which was first detected in early September and traced back to two migrants who were detained at the Lahad Datu police lock-up.
It had since spread to the prison, believed to be through an inmate who was kept in the Lahad Datu lock-up when he was taken to the district by authorities. Other locations also affected by the cluster are Kinabatangan and Sandakan.
As of Saturday noon, the cluster has recorded a total of 776 positive cases, of which 609 involve individuals at the Tawau prison including 652 prisoners. The other individuals are prison officers, their family members, and relatives of the prisoners who had visited them.
Meanwhile, in his statement, Ismail also announced the end of targeted enhanced MCO imposed at Zon Melor in Amanjaya, Kedah.
The area was initially placed on the semi-lockdown order for 14 days due to the high number of Covid-19 cases, before it was extended for another 14 days and is supposed to end today.
Ismail said they decided to end the order at Zon Melor as scheduled as there were no new cases recorded for 13 days in a row since Sept 14.
"A total of 4,931 samples have been taken in Zon Melor, and the number of positive cases remained 13 as recorded on Sept 13," he said.
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