JOHOR BARU: The Johor government will be widening its targeted Covid-19 mass screening programme as the state has been recording a spike in new cases lately.

       Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad said that such a move would allow faster action to curb the pandemic such as quarantining those who tested positive.

       “One of our efforts will be to speed up targeted screening testing, because as long as we do not expand this, then we will find that the vaccination method is our only way out from this pandemic.

       “While waiting for more vaccines to arrive in Johor, we need to do more testing and isolate those who are found to be positive,” he said when met after presenting Jalur Gemilang flags to road users here on Saturday (Aug 28).

       On the recent spike in new Covid-19 cases in the state, Hasni said this is due to the outbreak from industry workers’ dormitories among others.

       He added that several locations in Johor were placed under enhanced movement control order including two Orang Asli villages in Kuala Masai here and Simpang Arang near Gelang Patah.

       He also said the state government would continue to work hard to make sure the rakyat get vaccinated with Johor receiving two million doses within this month.

       Hasni added that the state has enough vaccination centres (PPVs) including industrial PPVs, which are able to jab about 70,000 doses per day.

       He said even though there were some parties who were not comfortable and demanded that the vaccination rate in Johor should be increased, the state would continue to work closely with the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to get more vaccines.

       “We will make sure that the state would continue to get about 490,000 doses of vaccines weekly on schedule and even with a change of ministers, it should not affect the supply.

       “I have spoken to the new minister, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, who told me that he would be visiting Johor soon to help us in getting the vaccines,” he said.

       He added that the state is on target to get more than 50% of adults vaccinated by the middle of September.