MOH to expand Covid-19 testing soon and 9 news from yesterday

KINI ROUNDUP | Here are key headlines you may have missed yesterday, in brief.

1. After searching for weeks, the Ministry of Health has found a Covid-19 antigen rapid test kit with adequate sensitivity and is procuring it to broaden testing efforts.

2. International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali said all workers of companies allowed to work during the movement control period must be screened for Covid-19 at Socso panel clinics.

3. A study finds Covid-19 patients to be the most contagious just before symptoms first appear, meaning that interventions that come after symptoms appear are less likely to be able to limit the spread of the disease.

4. Netizens panned Higher Education Minister Noraini Ahmad for supposedly wasting precious personal protective equipment while visiting a Covid-19 testing facility, but the UiTM Private Specialist Centre said wearing the equipment is mandatory for all visitors.

5. The Malaysian Medical Association said the Health Ministry should extend the contract of its medical officers for up to 10 years to facilitate their absorption as permanent staff.

6. PKR Women central leadership council member Ginie Lim has accused the party of taking advantage of the movement control order to suspend or sack at least 500 party members.

7. PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said he had informed the Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council beforehand about his meeting with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

8. Data analytics firm Berkshire Media has issued a legal letter to Sarawak Report demanding RM15 million and an apology for its four articles and a Twitter post containing allegations involving Cambridge Analytica and Malaysia’s general-election in 2018.

9. Universiti Utara Malaysia lecturer Kamarul Zaman Yusoff said he has not accepted an offer to serve as Plantations and Commodities Minister Khairuddin Aman Razali's special functions officer, despite being listed on the ministry’s directory.

10. Former primary industries minister Teresa Kok said she is happy that her successor Khairuddin has decided to proceed with policies related to bamboo planting, despite criticising her for the idea when she mooted it last year.