This involved 15,036 cases.

Deputy human resources minister Awang Hashim said more than RM10 million was paid to 13,170 local workers and more than RM1 million to 1,866 foreign workers.

“More than RM3.5 million was also paid out for the funeral arrangements of 1,792 local workers who died from Covid-19.

“As for foreign workers, Socso paid RM3,500 for the funeral arrangements in two cases,” he told a media conference after observing the Covid-19 immunisation outreach programme in the Pendang district here today.

Human resources minister M Saravanan was also present at the programme, which was organised by the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (MNKKP) and the Pendang district health office.

Awang, who is Pendang MP, said this was the ministry’s initiative through the council to raise the vaccination rate among adults in the district.

“We are aware, as announced earlier by the health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, that the rate for full vaccination among adults in the district is still low at 51.16% or 38,115 people as of yesterday.

“As such, we are helping to expedite vaccinations among the residents by going to the villages to help raise awareness on the importance of vaccination in creating herd immunity,” he said.

Awang said so far, the outreach programme had been implemented in several areas in the Pendang district, namely in Kampung Bukit Tegur, Keda Lahar Tunjung, Keda Asam Jawa and Keda Tanjung Setul.

“Similar programmes are being planned for other districts in Kedah with a low rate of vaccination, such as Sik and Baling.

“Such efforts will be extended to speed up Kedah’s transition to Phase 2 of the national recovery plan,” he said.