FOREIGN nationals account for 11.5% of Malaysia’s total number of Covid-19 infections, director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today.

There are 5,251 total infections, 601 of which are of tourists, refugees, asylum seekers and workers from abroad.

Of the 601, 356 are receiving treatment, 242 have recovered and three have died, Noor Hisham told a daily press briefing on Covid-19, in Putrajaya.

He said employers, especially those who hire foreigners, must ensure the safety and hygiene of workplaces and workers’ quarters.

“We are taking note of the situation in Singapore where foreign workers have contributed to 50% to the total number of cases there,” he said.

“In view of the fact that Malaysia also has many foreign workers, steps must be taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19, especially among foreign workers.

“For industries with a lot of foreign manpower, employers are responsible for ensuring that health and safety measures are taken.”

This includes social distancing at the workplace, whereby workers must not be crowded into a small space. Nor should the company have too many workers present together at one time.

Other measures such as temperature checks, hand washing and use of hand sanitiser, cleaning and disinfection of common areas and keeping a one metre distance when speaking, must also be observed, he added.

On the total number of foreigners here who have tested positive for the virus, Noor Hisham said 108 were Indonesians, 104 Filipinos, 63 Bangladeshi, 60 Indians and 51 Pakistanis.

He said the Health Ministry is working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to ensure refugees and asylum seekers in the country are also screened.

The minister is getting the help of foreign missions and non-governmental organisations to ensure foreign nationals here are informed in their respective languages about Covid-19 and health safety tips. – April 17, 2020.