Top Glove halting production at 28 factories amid Covid outbreak

Shah Alam, Malaysia – Top Glove Corp. is temporarily stopping production, in stages, at its rubber gloves manufacturing facilities in Meru, Klang, to allow health authorities to carry out Covid screenings at the sites.

In a statement 23 Nov, the gloves maker said it had stopped production at 16 facilities in Meru, Klang since 18 Nov to enable Covid tests. The balance 12 facilities in the region have been operating at "much reduced capacities," it added.

Top Glove said it was ‘fully cooperating’ with health authorities who had asked the group to implement a 14-day quarantine at its hostels in the area.

On 17 Nov, the group said it had been asked by health authorities to restrict movements within “specific foreign workers dormitory” in Meru, Klang, and carry out ‘full screening’ of about 5,700 workers.

In its latest release, Top Glove said it was committed to proceed with 'a recommended Covid-19 screening test for the balance workers and staff of its factories in Meru, Klang,' but did not provide a specific number for the affected employees. 

On 23 Nov, senior minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was cited by local press as saying that out of 5,794 individuals screened at Top Glove facilities, 1,889 tested positive for Covid-19.

This, said New Strait Times, prompted a cabinet order on 23 Nov to halt operations, at stages, at all the 28 factories to carry out tests.

According to Top Glove, the majority of the affected workers are asymptomatic and do not have symptoms such as fever or sickness.

The Malaysian group said it regularly disinfects its premises and hostels, "with all the necessary precautionary measures strictly in place."