Labuan’s disinfection efforts start with UTC building

LABUAN: The Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) Building yesterday underwent a total disinfection, jointly carried out by four government agencies to curb the spread of Covid-19 in its vicinity.

The disinfection exercise which centred on the wet and dry market areas in the building, was conducted by a 59-member team comprising HAZMAT (hazardous materials unit) personnel from the Labuan Fire and Rescue Department, health inspection personnel from the Health Department, as well as personnel from Labuan Corporation’s Health Unit and the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM).

The wet market is where items such as fish, beef and chicken are sold, while the dry market features vegetables, fruits and dried fish products.

The upper floor of the building was disinfected on March 13 after a worker stationed at the second floor, tested positive for Covid-19.

Today’s disinfection exercise at the UTC Building was part of the Labuan Natural Disaster Management Committee’s efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19, and is in line with the Housing and Local Government Ministry’s directive to carry out disinfection exercises at all public premises and common spaces.

Labuan Fire and Rescue Department director Ismaidi Ismail said the UTC Building which also houses food and clothes kiosks and two government departments, was chosen for the first day of the exercise as the building was the most frequently visited place on the island.

“The disinfection exercises are scheduled to be held at frequently visited places, common spaces and highly populated areas for the whole of this week,” he said.

The next locations to be disinfected are Jalan Hujung Pasir / Jalan Merdeka scheduled for todaY (Tuesday), Jalan Jati / Kemajuan (Wednesday), Jalan Bunga Melati / Jalan Muhibbah (Thursday), Jalan OKK Awang Besar / Jalan Kenanga (Friday), Jalan Merdeka / Surau Nur Islam / Sri Ganti / Siswazah Corner / Labuan International Ferry Terminal (Saturday), and the areas surrounding the Public Bank Building, Roll on-Roll off Ferry Terminal, Hong Leong Bank and Jalan Bahasa (Sunday).

Labuan Disaster Management Committee chairman Dr Fary Akmal Osman said disinfecting public places should become routine as surfaces that were frequently touched needed to be cleaned and disinfected often to prevent the transmission of diseases.

Labuan recorded five new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, bringing the total tally to 10 cases as of yesterday. –