LABUAN: At least 30 per cent of the Filipino refugees and residents in the water squatter settlement of Kg Muslim, here, will get tested for Covid-19, following emergence of the new Titian cluster there on Friday.
Labuan Health Department Director Dr Ismuni Bohari said several groups of healthcare personnel had been mobilised to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)-sanctioned settlement on a daily basis to get as many (residents) as they could to undergo the test.
“Our target is at least 30 per cent of the settlement’s total population.
“However, the only access to the houses in this slum area is the old wooden bridge and pathway which look like they could collapse anytime, which is slowing down the screening process,” he said.
National Security Council (NSC) Labuan Director Nurzalizah Kartika Abdullah said it was estimated that there were some 3,200 refugees and residents in the settlement.
It is divided into four blocks - Kg Muslim Haji Boy, Sebor Laut, Bakau and Bugis Bajau.
“We have to use a boat to get to this area and it’s very challenging, but we have no choice as we must get the people there tested soonest possible.
“The area is heavily populated by foreigners and will be kept under close watch amid the Covid-19 pandemic, albeit such cases there may be low,” Dr Ismuni said.
Labuan has been recording new cases daily over a month-long period since Sept 28, with 469 cases recorded until Oct 31.
Labuan, Malaysia’s international business and financial centre and oil and gas hub, is now in the top-10 list of high number of Covid-19 cases and is linked to five active clusters — Saguking with 231 cases, Limbungan (28), Bina (22), Titian (12) and Bundle (31).
.jpg)
