NEW CLUSTER DETECTED IN PENANG

52 new cases were recorded yesterday, with Sabah seeing 36 cases

ONE new Covid-19 cluster has been reported in Penang, involving two Malaysians, as 52 new infections were logged yesterday. Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the new Ara cluster’s index case was a 44-year-old man (Case 10,024).

The man tested positive following a screening at an international entry point in Sandakan, Sabah, upon arrival from Peninsular

Malaysia on Sept 15.

“Close contact screening was conducted and another positive case was detected.

“The patient, Case 10,217, a relative of the index case, tested positive on Sept 19 and has been admitted to Penang Hospital for treatment.”

Sixteen people linked to the cluster had been screened, with two testing positive and 14 negative.

Sabah had the highest number of new cases yesterday at 36, with 27 from the Benteng Lahad Datu cluster. The Selamat cluster had two new cases, while the Pulau and Bakau clusters had one new case each.

Dr Noor Hisham said one case was detected during a community screening in Semporna, one was detected during pre-surgery screening at Lahad Datu Hospital and one was detected during preemployment screening.

Two health workers from Lahad Datu Hospital tested positive for Covid-19.

Dr Noor Hisham said in Kedah, three people tested positive during the Administrative Enhanced Movement Control Order community screening in Kota Setar.

One local transmission case was detected in Penang, linked to the Ara cluster.

Dr Noor Hisham said 12 imported cases were reported, involving three Malaysians and nine foreigners from India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Yemen and Russia.

The 52 new cases brought the total infections in the country to 10,219, with 734 active cases.

Currently, 10 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit, with two needing ventilators.

Forty more people have recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 9,355, or 91.55 per cent of the total cases.

No new deaths were reported.