Testing 2 million foreign workers in one go not doable

By Xavier Kong

HEALTH director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said Malaysia’s testing capacity has reached 20,635, spread over 44 laboratories, with the number of tests conducted daily well within this limit. This does not include the antigen rapid test kits.

However, with the high number of documented foreign workers alone in Malaysia, testing more than two million migrant workers at one go is not doable. Thus, a targeted approach is taken instead, which takes time, but is within local capabilities.

He reiterated that the war against the Covid-19 pandemic is not over. He further warned that to classify the virus as low-risk in light of the lower numbers Malaysia is seeing would be foolhardy.

Recoveries reported today amounted to 135, for a total of 4,702 patients discharged. New cases confirmed came up to 45, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 6,428. Active transmission cases stand at 1,619, and are being treated. Of these, 22 are in intensive care units, while nine require ventilator support. Another death from Covid-19 was reported, bringing the death toll to 107.

To date, 22,339 foreign workers have been tested, of which 986 tested positive, with 457 still undergoing treatment.

Still, testing foreign workers is essential, as they represent a group at a high risk of infection. This is due to the general living conditions, which tend to be in cramped quarters, and the workers working in different sectors increase the risk of transmission.

“One may work in construction, another may work at a wholesale market. But as they live together in cramped quarters, the risk of infection becomes higher,” said Dr Noor Hisham, sharing that the foreign worker segment has been identified as a target group, especially if they are in red zones.

With regard to the Korean antigen rapid test kits, the total order is currently at 200,000, pending the results of the tests and the evaluation of the kits. Should they prove satisfactory, more of the kits will be ordered. To date, 50,000 test kits have been received, with a second batch of 50,000 arriving this week. The remaining 100,000 will be received next week.

Dr Noor Hisham reiterated that Malaysians need to stay disciplined for the nation to succeed in lowering the daily confirmed cases to single-digits.

“The success of the Conditional Movement Control Order does not rest on the Ministry of Health, but on Malaysians adhering to the new normal,” he said, adding that this new normal will stay as long as a vaccine or an effective medication is not found. – May 6, 2020