THE Selangor government will undertake mass testing for Covid-19 in several areas beginning Friday to assist the Health Ministry in containing infections. 

Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said this was a strategy of the state’s Special Committee on Covid-19, following the detection of positive cases among individuals who were asymptomatic, that is, those who are infected but do not exhibit symptoms.

“The high number of Covid-19 cases in the state is certainly concerning but I am more worried if there are asymptomatic cases.

“Therefore, we will increase the number of tests and, based on the advice of the Selangor Health Department, two or three places have been identified for mass tests. We anticipate that about 1,000 to 1,200 screenings will be undertaken,” he said in Shah Alam today.

Amirudin added that with more tests, infection trends in certain locations could be detected and, as such, containment measures could be heightened.

“Based on our records of all cases, there are more than 225 asymptomatic cases of individuals who have tested positive,” he said.

Meanwhile, on the arrest of a Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) councillor who had recently defied the movement control order (MCO), Amirudin said the local authority will take disciplinary action against the individual concerned.

Last Friday, the councillor, along with three friends, had been detained by the police for playing badminton at a multipurpose hall in Section 25, Shah Alam.

Earlier today, Amirudin flagged off a “Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung” convoy providing food packs for about 1,700 students at institutions of higher learning who could not return to their home towns following the imposition of the MCO. – Bernama, April 8, 2020.