Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari speaks to reporters during a visit to Mentari Court in Petaling Jaya July 5, 2021. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — Selangor’s steep spike in today’s new Covid-19 infections is the result of mass testing being carried out in all areas under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO), Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said.
Nearly all of Selangor has been put under EMCO from July 3 until 16. The only district spared is Sabak Bernam.
“The high number of cases in Selangor is due to the comprehensive screening in EMCO areas which contributed to a cumulative number of 1,346 cases as well as close contact screening of positive cases in EMCO [areas],” he said in a series of tweets this evening.
He said he offered several suggestions to the National Security Council in today’s meeting.
“The proposal is to maintain the closure of economic and industrial sectors as previously determined until the end of EMCO.
PJ Polyclinic health workers conduct a Covid-19 swab test using the RTK-Antigen Covid-19 Kit in Dewan Serbaguna MBPJ in Petaling Jaya. — Picture by Hari Anggara
“The state government also proposed that the vaccination of workers be accelerated and the vaccination rate is determined as one of the factors in opening up the economic sector,” he added.
He said the Selangor government deems the EMCO as failing to achieve its intention to slow the spread of Covid-19 and instead placing more burdens on the national healthcare system.
“As such, the state government suggests that only the essential economic sectors be opened,” Amirudin said.
He did not elaborate on which economic sectors he considered to be absolutely essential.
Selangor accounted for 4,152 new Covid-19 cases, nearly half of today’s nationwide record of 8,868 infections.
The Health Ministry also reported 29 new Covid-19 clusters today, with 19 of them linked to workplaces.
About a third of them are from the Klang Valley. Kuala Lumpur has six new clusters while Selangor has five.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said hospitals in the national capital, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Labuan have exceeded their maximum limits in treating Covid-19 patients.