GEORGE TOWN: The second Covid-19 test, conducted on all Penang Remand Prison staff with close contact to inmates infected with the virus, has come back negative.
Prison director Mohamed Jusoh Ismail said they obtained the results yesterday to ensure all staff with close contact were free from Covid-19.
He said all staff carried out health checks from time to time to ensure they were not infected.
"Results for the second test on staff came back negative. Screening for staff with close contact with the inmates confirmed positive will be carried out from time to time.
"This is because some of these staff will be the ones accompanying the doctors while checking on the active cases involving inmates," he said when met while monitoring the implementation of the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in the Penang Remand Prison and the Penang Prison Department quarters from 12.01am today.
Jusoh said screening for close contacts of prison staff would be carried out soon to ensure they too were not infected.
"Screening will be carried out on family members staying in the same house as the prison staff.
"Also, we have not identified the cause of the infection as tests conducted on staff came back negative.
"The Health Ministry will continue to investigate besides carrying out monitoring from time to time," he added.
Meanwhile, northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Soffian Santong said they would discuss with the Health Ministry to manage patients who receive methadone treatment in a building adjacent to the Penang Remand Prison.
"The first day of the EMCO today proceeded smoothly, but we find many patients coming to the Methadone Clinic of the Penang Hospital for treatment.
"However, this issue can be settled and we are discussing it now," he said, advising all road users to use alternative roads as announced before and to cooperate with the authorities during the EMCO period.
On Tuesday, the special National Security Council (NSC) meeting decided to implement the EMCO in the Penang Remand Prison and the Penang Prison Department quarters.
This was after the Remand Prison cluster logged 141 cases on Monday alone.
To date, the cluster logged another 178 active cases, including one death.
The EMCO would involve some 2,800 inmates, prison staff and their family members.
On Oct 5, an 85-year-old inmate was found unconscious inside his cell at 7am. He was rushed to the Penang Hospital and pronounced dead about 50 minutes later.
Covid-19 test carried out on him came back positive.
The Penang Remand Prison is the third prison to report Covid-19 infections after Tawau in Sabah and Alor Star in Kedah.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said he had been informed by the state Health Department that all active cases inside the Penang Remand Prison and the Seberang Prai Prison only involved inmates.
"The Prison Department is further monitoring the situation. Everything is under control.
"The state National Security Council said strict standard operating procedure (SOP) is observed by the state Prison Department and the state Health Department.
"The relevant parties will assess the risks and make relevant proposals," he added.