Visitors from red zones caused rise in Kedah
January 4, 2021 @ 9:15am
ALOR STAR: Checks by the Kedah government show that those who thronged the state to attend kenduri (feast) and to visit relatives are among the reasons behind the rise in the state's Covid-19 cases.
State Health and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman said those living in states categorised as red zones should not have returned to Kedah.
"Yesterday (Saturday), Kedah recorded 47 cases, many of which were imported cases involving the Beringin cluster.
"From the total, 25 involved people from Penang, who had travelled to Kedah and triggered infections in Kuala Muda, Kulim, Baling and Sik.
"There were also cases originating from those travelling from Kuala Lumpur.
"These people are in pandemic zones.
"By right, they should not balik kampung. Some even went to the shops while others attended kenduri and mingled with family members. In the end, they infected others."
Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman
Hayati said the authorities were taking the matter seriously given that the state's Covid-19 numbers were manageable previously.
The state government, he said, would convene a Security Committee meeting to discuss measures to be taken and recommended to the National Security Council.
"The Tembok and Kolam clusters each recorded one case yesterday (Saturday).
"Whatever the rate of infection is, we have to look after ourselves and others, and abide by the standard operating procedures."
Kedah, on Saturday, recorded 47 new cases, bringing the number of active cases in the state to 190.