KUALA LUMPUR: The cause of the Myanmar detainee’s death early this morning at Tanah Merah Hospital in Kelantan was due to Covid-19.

Bukit Aman Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) director Datuk Azri Ahmad (pix) said the male detainee was arrested yesterday by police from Jeram Perdah Police Station in Pasir Mas for committing an offence under Section 6 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

“Preliminary tests found that the man was positive for Covid-19 and then sent to Tanah Merah Hospital for treatment. The detainee was placed in a Covid-19 ward at 4pm the same day and at 2.22am today (Feb 26), he was confirmed dead, as a result of the virus,“ he said in a statement here today.

He said the JIPS Criminal Investigation Unit for Deaths in Custody would investigate the case. — Bernama