LABUAN, Feb 7: COVID-19 screening for all ship crews and workers in the oil and gas-related sectors passing through this duty-free-island’s gazetted entry points, namely the two ferry terminals and Labuan Airport, is still mandatory, said Labuan Health Department director Dr Ismuni Bohari.
He said the screening was mandatory as there was concern that possible infections from outsiders could potentially lead to a mass outbreak on the island.
“We are doing our job as empowered by the Federal Government, and it is our responsibility to safeguard the island from a mass outbreak,” he told Bernama.
He added that lately the shipping industry had requested that their crews forego COVID-19 screening but said Labuan, being an oil and gas hub, is frequently visited by foreign ship crews and workers and expatriates in the oil and gas-related sectors from outside of Labuan, and thus the COVID-19 tests are still necessary.
On the case of more than 40 candidates of the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination of a secondary school here who underwent COVID-19 tests on Saturday morning after one of the school’s teachers tested positive on Friday, Dr Ismuni said all had been confirmed free of the virus and were undergoing self-quarantine.
Labuan has recorded 2,194 cases as of Saturday with 13 deaths. The financial hub still has 71 active cases with two patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). - Bernama
