Malaysia Shutters Vaccination Centre After Staff Test Positive

(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia shutdown a Covid vaccination centre in the state of Selangor for a day on Tuesday after the staff at the booth tested positive, Science Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said.

This is the first time the country has shuttered a centre since kicking off the immunization drive in February. The closure won’t slow the pace of the country’s vaccination program, Khairy said.

“We acted fast by shutting it down, by taking corrective measures by changing the personnel and sanitizing the center,” he said in a briefing. About half the center’s 453 personnel tested positive.

An accelerated vaccine roll-out has allowed the government to ease virus curbs in eight states, providing some breathing space to the economy that has been under a lockdown since June 1 amid a surge in new infections. About 30% of the population have got their first dose, while more than 13% have completed both doses.

More than 420,000 shots were administered on Monday, a record, according to the health ministry. The country aims to inoculate 60% of the population by the end of September, Khairy said last month.

READ: Malaysia to Ease Movement Curbs in Sarawak From July 14

New Covid cases reached a record 9,353 on Saturday, with the Klang Valley --- which includes Selangor and Kuala Lumpur -- accounting for about 60% of the total. Infections have dipped slightly since to 8,547 on Monday.

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