Jamek Sri Petaling Mosque to be temporarily closed for disinfection exercise

SUNGAI BULOH, March 12 -- Jamek Sri Petaling Mosque in the capital will be temporarily closed for disinfection after a participant of the the tabligh rally held at the mosque on Feb 28 tested positive for COVID-19

 Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba urged those who participated in the gathering to immediately get tested if they begin to experience symptoms of the virus.

 He was speaking to reporters in the lobby of the Health Ministry Training Institute, here today after visiting the ward prepared for COVID-19 patients at Sungai Buloh Hospital.

 Yesterday, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reportedly said a 60-year-old local, the 131st case detected, had attended the tabligh gathering and was diagnosed as having the symptoms on March 4.

According to Dr Noor Hisham, based on preliminary information, the gathering involved 10,000 people from several countries, with Malaysian participants numbering more than 5,000 people.

Dr Adham, meanwhile, said the Health Ministry was monitoring and tracking down the locals who attended the gathering for further action to prevent the spread of the disease.

Commenting on the ministry's preparedness following the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s announcement categorising COVID-19 as a pandemic, he said the situation in the country was still under control.

“In this country, there are 12 hospitals that have a laboratory to detect infections and treat COVID-19 patients and 57 government hospitals performing screening nationwide.

"This is the latest status, we (Health Ministry) are fully prepared for whatever eventuality following WHO’s COVID-19 pandemic declaration,” he said.

He said the Ministry’s level of preparedness was at its highest with Sungai Buloh Hospital’s specialty  for treating infectious disease, especially COVID-19. The hospital can accommodate 772 patients at a time.

-- BERNAMA