SOME 700 foreign workers, including Rohingyas, at Kuala Lumpur’s Selayang wholesale market were examined for Covid-19 by health authorities.

Some of the Rohingya are believed to have attended the tabligh gathering in Sri Petaling, from February 27 to March 1. 

The Covid-19 cluster from this gathering has contributed to the spike in the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths in the country.

A trader who identified himself as Selvam, 40, said the authorities had ordered the foreign workers to go for health screening earlier but most refused to comply.

He said most of them are paid wages daily and could not afford to skip a day’s work.

“However, today as the Health Ministry team is here most complied and went for the test which was done at the entrance of the market.”

He said the authorities took the details of workers and told them they will be called if any of them tested positive for the Covid 19 virus.

Yesterday Malaysia reported 212 new infections, bringing the total number cases to 1,518. Of the new cases, 123 were from the tabligh cluster.

The death toll for Covid-19 in Malaysia also climbed to 14 yesterday, with three new fatalities reported yesterday.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdulah said the 12th case involved a 70-year old man from the Tabligh cluster. He was treated at Kluang Hospital in Johor.

The 13th victim was a 49-year-old man who was the son of patient number 1,031. He was treated at Sarawak General Hospital.

A 51-year-old woman treated at Miri Hospital, identified as a close contact of a positive case from the tabligh cluster, was the 14th person to die of the virus.

He said 20 patients were discharged today after making a full recovery, bringing the total number of recoveries to 159. – March 24, 2020.