Another cluster surfaces in Sabah, six in total

KUALA LUMPUR: Another Covid-19 cluster has surfaced in Sabah, making it the sixth cluster in the state.

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah yesterday said the latest cluster, named the Kuarters Cluster, was found in Tongod, Sandakan. Five positive cases have been reported following screening done in the district.

He said on Sept 4, a health worker from Tongod tested positive during an RTK Antigen screening.

“This worker was screened upon referral to a hospital. However, the confirmation test through rt-PCR screening proved negative. The screening done around the Tongod district that started on Sept 6 involved the local community, including staff at the local health clinic.

“All the positive cases (cases 10,253 to 10,257) in this cluster are Malaysians. They were asymptomatic and were admitted to the Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan for treatment,” he said in a statement.

So far, 117 individuals have been screened involving this cluster, with 112 of them awaiting results while the index case is still being traced.

Prevention measures, including disinfection and cleaning, have been undertaken at the Tongod Health Clinic. All patients having appointments there have been referred to the nearest health clinic.

“Health services at the Tongod Health Clinic will resume when the disinfection and cleaning operations have been completed,” he said.

On developments involving clusters in Sabah, Noor Hisham said of the 57 new cases reported yesterday, 14 were from the Pulau Cluster, thus bringing cumulative cases there to 29 (26 Malaysians and three Filipinos).

To date, 451 individuals have been screened involving 371 in Kunak, including the 14 new cases there, and 80 in Semporna.

He also said 12 new cases were reported yesterday involving the Selamat Cluster, bringing the tally of positive cases there to 19, with 215 individuals screened so far.

Noor Hisham added five new cases were reported from the Benteng LD Cluster yesterday, bringing the total number of positive cases there to 583 after 9,610 people were screened.

“In Kedah, only one new case was reported from the Sungai Cluster, bringing the total number of positive cases involving this cluster to 74, with 24,699 people screened as of noon yesterday,” he said.

The Sungai Cluster involves the states of Kedah, Penang and Perlis in the peninsula.