KUALA LUMPUR: The government’s targeted approach testing method to deal with the Covid-19 outbreak in the country has been successful.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the approach has proven positive in detecting Covid-19 cases.
Therefore, he said, the public need not worry about the daily new Covid-19 positive cases following the government’s aggressive and proactive case tracing and detection.
“These detected cases have been isolated and hospitalised to ensure the Covid-19 virus does not continue to spread,” he told a press conference here today.
“The Health Ministry is intensifying efforts to reduce the number of Covid-19 positive cases in Malaysia via Active Case Detection and targeted approach that include detection, screening and testing of high risk target groups.
“These actions can be implemented more effectively through the implementation of the Conditional Movement Control Order and the Enhanced Movement Control Order.”
Dr Noor Hisham said as of May 10, the Health Ministry had identified several target groups using this testing method.
This, he said, included participants of the Seri Petaling Tabligh gathering and their close contacts; students and staff of the madrasah and tahfiz linked to the Tabligh gathering; and the ministry’s health personnel.
The method, he said, was also used in detecting Covid-19 positive cases among Malaysians returning from overseas and being housed in quarantine centres; residents at zones or areas under the Enhanced Movement Control Order; and workers and traders at the Kuala Lumpur Wholesale market and markets in the area.
Besides that, the targeted approach was a success among foreign workers at construction sites in the red zone; and in detecting cases among senior citizens at a care centre, he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham advised Malaysians to have social responsibility and practise self-regulation despite the relaxation of the Movement Control Order.
“The ministry would like to advise the public to continue practising the new norms in their daily lives,” he added.