PUTRAJAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – A Pakistani barber who tested positive for Covid-19 had conducted illegal house-to-house services during the movement control order (MCO).

The Health Ministry’s director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah said after the barber was found to be positive on June 11, a total of 40 people who had close contact with the man have been screened and quarantined.

“I was notified by the Titiwangsa (Kuala Lumpur) Health Office, who was informed by a private hospital of a Covid-19 case. The patient is a Pakistani national who works as a barber at a barbershop,” he said at his daily media briefing on the pandemic.

“Based on investigations, the shop had been closed throughout the MCO period since March 18. However, this barber continued to provide house-to-house hair cutting services to clients in the nearby area” Datuk Dr Noor Hisham said.

The authorities have identified 25 close contacts, including 21 clients and four of his housemates.

“The shop resumed business on June 10, and after testing positive for the virus on June 11, we had identified another 15 people who had close contact with the barber.

“In total, 40 close contacts have been identified and all have been screened and are currently under quarantine, ” he said.

The barber was sent for Covid-19 testing by his employer, which is a requirement for all barbershops who hire foreigners.

Dr Noor Hisham said the barber was admitted to the Sungai Buloh Hospital at the edge of Kuala Lumpur on June 11.

“We have yet to identify the source of the virus and investigation is ongoing, ” he said.

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