Malaysia’s Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd. (Kossan) has become the latest glove manufacturer to report COVID-19 cases among workers at one of its plants. Kossan has screened close to 7,000 employees – local and foreign – for COVID-19 since early December – health workers found almost 427 positive cases in Klang, Selangor.
The affected employees are currently receiving medical treatment at government medical facilities. All other employees in the affected premises have been placed under quarantine and isolation and will undergo subsequent screening. The affected plant premises have been temporarily closed to carry out disinfection and sanitisation procedures.
Kossan expects the screenings to be completed by December 17 and will resume operations at the plant in stages starting from December 21, 2020.
“As a result of the temporary closure of the affected plant premise (sic), the capacity loss is estimated to be less than 1% of the total annual output volume. Other production facilities at different locations are operating normally.”
COVID-19 infections have also been detected among employees of Top Glove, Hartalega and Careplus, all leading glove manufacturers based in Malaysia.
Kossan pointed out that its operations had strictly adhered to the standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the National Security Council (MKN) and the Health Ministry; and continued to undertake precautionary and preventive measures for COVID-19 as part of its business continuity management.