Worker dies of Covid at world’s largest rubber glove maker in Malaysia

The man was a 29-year-old from Nepal

Shares in the company have dropped since news of the outbreak (AFP via Getty Images)

The world’s largest glove maker, Top Glove  in Malaysia, reported Monday that one of its workers has died of coronavirus.   

This comes after more than 5,000 of Top Glove’s workers have tested positive for Covid-19, during an outbreak at its factories and dormitories.   

The glove maker told Reuters in an email that the worker was 29 years old and from Nepal. According to the news agency, the cause of death was Covid-19 pneumonia with lung fibrosis.   The man had been a worker at Top Glove’s manufacturing facility in Klang, 25 miles to the west of capital Kuala Lumpur, for over two years.   

The company first realised that there infection rates were increasing in the capital on 2 November. This happened when many workers took obligatory pre-flight Covid tests in preparation to return home in time for the holidays. Over 5,000 workers in the factories have tested positive for coronavirus, which makes it Malaysia’s largest cluster.   

As a result of this, the government put strict movement controls in place and ordered Top Glove to shut its affected factories to help with screening measures and quarantine.   

Reuters reported that workers said social distancing during work was not well enforced or maintained with no consistent enforcement of the rules. They said that it was particularly hard to socially distance, in packing areas, where up to a dozen people had to work together.  They also said dormitories were often cramped, with up to 20 people sharing the same room.   

The manufacturer disclosed last week that 94 per cent of workers were now fit to restart work. Operations have been completely suspended at 16 out 28 factories. The other 12 have stayed open but have been operating at reduced capacity.   

In response to the outbreak, Top Glove said: “the safety and wellbeing of our employees and local community is our utmost priority towards containing the situation and to flatten the Covid-19 curve.”   

Workers reported cramped dormitories, with up to 20 people sharing a room (AFP via Getty Images)

Top Glove is the world’s largest manufacturer of latex gloves and has seen a surge in demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.   

Shares in the company grew nearly 310 per cent in 2020 due to the huge increase in need for PPE this year.   

They have dropped in value since news of the outbreak was released, with stock value falling up to 8.3 per cent on Monday, when news of the employee’s death was released.