KUALA LUMPUR: The Maahad Tahfiz Al-Quran Wal Qiraat (MTAQ), Pulai Chondong, Machang in Kelantan will be placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) from tomorrow until May 4 following a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this was decided following the risk evaluation jointly carried out by various agencies under the MCO technical committee and upon the advice of the Ministry of Health (MOH) after 97 positive cases were recorded from 243 screenings.

The implementation of the EMCO would also facilitate the MOH in conducting targeted screening on all those involved and, subsequently, curb the spread of COVID-19 to the other communities, he said in a statement today.

Previously, the Maahad Tahfiz Sains Tanah Merah in Kelantan was placed under the EMCO from April 19 when 43 COVID-19 positive cases were recorded from 396 screenings.

Ismail Sabri also announced that the EMCO in two areas in Sarawak - the Sri Aman Prison and Staff Quarters in Sri Aman and Kampung Batu Gong, Siburan, Serian - would end tomorrow and today respectively, as scheduled, following a drop in new cases and the clusters being under control.

Meanwhile, he said 110 individuals were arrested for flouting standard operating procedures yesterday, with 108 of them compounded and two remanded.

Under Ops Benteng, a total of 23 illegal immigrants were detained and 11 land vehicles seized yesterday, he said.

-- BERNAMA