Covid war continues
Four new clusters detected in Kedah, Putrajaya, Tawau and Sabah
Malaysia is on alert again after recording 260 new Covid-19 cases – the second highest increase in a single day since the outbreak began in January. The next two weeks are going to be crucial as authorities go all out to stop the spread of the virus.
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia saw a surge in new Covid-19 cases after 260 infections were recorded in the country.
This is the highest increase in cases of the recovery movement control order (MCO) phase since it began on June 9.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said at the ministry’s Covid-19 press conference that all cases were local transmissions, except for one imported infection.
Sabah recorded the highest number of new cases with 118, followed closely by Kedah with 98 cases.
Kuala Lumpur recorded 14 cases followed by Selangor with 13, Putrajaya (five), Terengganu (two), Perlis (two), Pahang (one), Penang (one) and Melaka (one).
Of the total number of cases, 31 of them involved those who had just returned from Sabah recently.
The Tembok cluster in Kota Setar, Kedah, saw a rise in cases with 88 new infections. This brings its total of cases to 91.
There were four new clusters detected by the Health Ministry, in Kedah, Putrajaya, Tawau and Sabah.
The Bah Ketil cluster, identified in Baling and Langkawi in Kedah, has recorded nine cases so far.
“The index case cluster involved a Malaysian aged 39 years old who has a travel history to Tawau, Sabah, from Sept 17 to 29.
“The patient had symptoms such as coughing and muscle pain since Sept 24 and received treatment at a health clinic in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
“Following that, a close contact screening was done and eight other
people have tested positive for Covid-19 within that identified cluster,” said Dr Noor Hisham.
The Selasih cluster in Putrajaya also has a Sabah connection.
Dr Noor Hisham said the 37-yearold index case had travelled to Kota Kinabalu, Melangkap and Kundasang in Sabah recently.
“The patient started to show fever and cough symptoms on Sept 25 and had a Covid-19 test at KLIA on Sept 27. Subsequently his results came out positive the next day.
“Six other people have tested positive and all have been admitted to the Sungai Buloh Hospital,” he said.
The Joo Hwa cluster in Tawau, Sabah originated from a 31-year-old man who began experiencing symptoms of fever and cough on Sept 14. He tested positive for Covid19 on Sept 20.
Contact tracing found four more individuals who are infected.
The Jalan Meru cluster in Klang, Selangor involved a man aged 30 who started to display symptoms on Sept 24, before testing positive for the virus on Sept 29.
Screening of close contacts found three more individuals who are infected.
Dr Noor Hisham also said that there were no new deaths while 47 Covid-19 patients have recovered.
The total number of active cases in the country has now gone up to 1,334 cases.
Currently, 20 people are being treated at the intensive care unit, with three of them requiring ventilator support.
Cumulatively, the country’s total cases since the outbreak began in January is 11,484.