KUALA LUMPUR: The National Security Council (NSC) today announced an extension of the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) imposed on the Penang Remand Prison and prison quarters, after new Covid-19 cases emerged among prison staff and inmates.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the decision to extend the EMCO to Nov 11 was made during the NSC's meeting today, on the advice of the Health Ministry.
"The government had enforced a 14-day EMCO at the Penang Remand Prison and prison quarters on Oct 15, after a surge in positive cases involving detainees and prison staff.
"The two-week EMCO was supposed to end tomorrow (Oct 28). However, due to new detection of Covid-19, the Health Ministry had recommended an extension of another two weeks, starting from Oct 29," he said in his daily press conference today.
Ismail Sabri said so far, health officials have screened 4,196 individuals, including prison staff, since cases were first detected earlier this month.
So far, the Penang Remand Prison cluster has logged more than 450 Covid-19 positive cases involving inmates, prison staff and close contacts.