1 Utama refutes report that 63 COVID-19 cases were found at the mall

After Petaling District Disaster Management Committee revealed that 63 COVID-19 positive cases were detected from the 1 Utama shopping centre screening, the mall management has issued a statement to refute the claims. It emphasised that the mall does not have 63 COVID-19 cases as reported.

The mall confirmed that it has conducted a mass swab test for 6,000 mall and tenant staff from the 11th to 12th October and they have found 21 positive cases. This includes 20 tenants and 1 mall management staff. The individuals have been isolated by the Ministry of Health to contain the spread.

On the report that 44 security guards were found positive, the mall clarified that it didn’t originate from 1 Utama and it was not part of the 6,000 individuals involved in the mass testing. According to the mall, they outsource its security guards from a 3rd party provider. It explained that they have contracted COVID-19 at a dormitory and not within its premises.

When they were informed by Ministry of Health that one guard was positive, the mall had removed all guards from the company for retesting and to only deploy them when they are cleared. It added that all guards were tested when they were first assigned.

1 Utama also reiterated that they are the first and only mall to conduct COVID-19 testing at a mass scale.

In the Petaling District Disaster Management Committee’s statement, it provided a breakdown of reported infections which include 1 case involving a mall management staff, 15 tenants, 44 security guards and 3 customers. Selangor’s Petaling district is currently designated as a red zone after Klang.

On Saturday, 1 Utama had announced that the mall will be closed from 11th October to conduct sanitisation and mass testing. The National Security Council had also ordered the mall to close for a week.

[ SOURCE VIA , IMAGE SOURCE ]