He said factories comprise the highest number of workplace clusters in the state with 10 out of 12, the other two being a remand prison and a school.

Chow added that while the number of Covid-19 cases in the state continued to increase, Putrajaya should step up on the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme by ensuring that factory workers are vaccinated as soon as possible.

“The industrial cluster needs attention. Vaccination is the best way forward as the numbers are under control with a 120 to 150 overall daily case average recorded in the state.

“It must be pointed out that the Health Department had previously closed 47 factories in the state due to Covid-19,” he said at a press conference in Komtar.

According to Chow, there have been 4,352 positive cases recorded so far from the 105,066 workers who were tested under the Social Security Organisation’s mandated screening programme.

He added that the registration rate for the immunisation programme in the state was encouraging, with 43.2% or 597,850 having already signed up.

“This effectively places Penang among the top three states, along with Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, which recorded 47% each.

“So far, 36,982 frontliners have received their first dose while 29,334 received their second dose as of yesterday,” Chow said.

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