The Star Malaysia

A RECORD 287 HIGH 287

As the country registers its most number of Covid-19 cases in a single day ...

- By JOSEPH KAOS Jr and AUSTIN CAMOENS newsdesk@thestar.com.my

Public varsities will only entertain online registrati­ons

50 schools in Semporna have been shut down Sabahans want more info on travel ban

MCA postpones divisional meetings

Government monitoring surge in cases, may close business and social activities

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia recorded 287 new Covid-19 infections yesterday, making it the country’s highest daily increase throughout the pandemic so far.

The figure has overtaken the 277 cases reported on June 4, during an outbreak of the coronaviru­s at the Bukit Jalil Immigratio­n detention centre.

The country saw a a sharp hike of 260 cases on Thursday, now the third highest daily increase.

At a press conference, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said Kedah saw 129 new cases, of which 128 were from the Tembok cluster.

The Tembok cluster originated from a man who died on Sept 30 and had worked in a prison.

The cases in the cluster swiftly rose among prison detainees and now 216 people have been infected.

Sabah recorded 113 cases, of which 35 were from the Benteng LD (Lahad Datu) cluster and 15 from the Bangau-Bangau cluster.

Other states and federal territorie­s with new cases are Selangor (31 cases), Perak (three), Terengganu (three), Negri Sembilan (two), Kelantan (two), Kuala Lumpur (one), Johor (one), Pahang (one), Labuan (one).

Dr Noor Hisham said 20 cases involved individual­s who returned to Peninsular Malaysia after visiting Sabah recently.

“This makes the number of positive cases linked to Sabah travel since Sept 20 up to 139 cases,” he said.

Two new clusters in Selangor were detected and both involved individual­s who had just come back from Sabah.

Dr Noor Hisham said the Seri Setia cluster was identified in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

“The index for the Seri Setia cluster (case 10,972) is a 36-year-old Malaysian man who had travelled to Semporna, Sabah, between Sept 16 and Sept 20.

“He was symptomati­c on Sept 21 and a Covid-19 screening came back positive on Sept 27.

“He was then admitted at the Sungai Buloh Hospital and subsequent­ly close contact screenings were carried out and three others tested positive,” he said adding that all the positive cases involved Malaysians who were warded at the same hospital.

On the Seri Anggerik cluster, Dr Noor Hisham said the cluster was identified at Hulu Selangor with the cluster index being a 37-year-old Malaysian man (case 10,776) who had a travel history to Sabah between Sept 9 and Sept 18.

“He was symptomati­c on Sept 25 and following screening, he tested positive on Sept 26 and was warded at the Sungai Buloh Hospital.

“Following that, close contact screenings were conducted and 14 other positive cases were identified,” he said adding that all the cases were Malaysians who were admitted to the same hospital for treatment.

No deaths were reported while 81 patients were discharged yesterday.

The total number of active cases in the country has now gone up to 1,540 cases.

Cumulative­ly, the country’s total cases since the outbreak began in January is 11,771.

Currently, 22 people are being treated at intensive care units, with four of them requiring ventilator support.

 ?? — CHAN BOON KAI/ The Star ?? Safety measure: A student having her temperatur­e taken before entering USM for its 2020/2021 intake.
— CHAN BOON KAI/ The Star Safety measure: A student having her temperatur­e taken before entering USM for its 2020/2021 intake.
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Malaysia