By SH Ong
As we are all heaving a sigh of relief thinking that we have somehow “beaten” the COVID-19, down came the Jalan Canning Estate cluster right into our laps! It is scary to think that this cluster originated at a karaoke pub less than a kilometer from Ipoh Echo’s office.
Easter has just come and gone peacefully about two weeks ago and we are just settling down to celebrate Vaisakhi and the beginning of Ramadan today. The sudden emergence of this cluster has thrown this normally peaceful city into a chaotic frenzy. Healthcare laboratories were reported to be suddenly swarmed with people coming in for swab tests yesterday. To date, it has been reported that at least 39 people have contacted the virus. More cases are expected soon when the test results are out.
A quick survey of the “red zone” was carried out but in spite of the “scare”, activities seemed to be normal except for the closure of the said pub. Surprisingly, the two food courts just a stone’s throw away were quite packed with the lunch crowd. Have people forgotten about the pandemic or have they taken it for granted? Whatever the reasons, we must strictly follow the SOPs set up by the authorities whenever we are in the public domain. At times like this, it is better to Stay Healthy, Stay Safe, Stay Home!
