UNDOCUMENTED migrants at Bukit Jalil Immigration Detention Centre, who were detained before the movement control order (MCO) began in March, could have been infected with Covid-19 from recent detainees brought in during the MCO, or from staff, director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said.

The Ministry of Health is still investigating how the coronavirus was transferred to detainees brought in before March 18, when the MCO was enforced.

Anyone detained before this period is held in Block A, while those rounded up in the raids on enhanced MCO areas are detained in Blocks B and C.

“We are investigating the source of infection.

“It is possible that there is transmission between those coming in from the EMCO to Block A. We do not know (yet), but it is possible,” he said at the daily briefing on Covid-19 today.

Noor Hisham added that detainees in the four blocks are not allowed to mix or move between blocks.

Another possibility is infections among service staff at the depot, such as cleaners.

He added that Immigration Department policy requires all detainees to be screened before they are placed into detention centres. Only those who are tested negative will be placed there.

Adding that detention centres are high-risk areas, the Health Ministry will also screen staff of such centres.

So far, 383 cases have been detected at three Immigration detention centres, including 281 cases in Bukit Jalil, Semenyih (66) and Sepang (36). – May 26, 2020.