‘Kuching engineering’ cluster detected
KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has detected a new Covid-19 cluster in Sarawak involving an engineering firm in Kuching.
Director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said up to noon yesterday, two confirmed cases had been identified and linked to this new cluster dubbed the Kuching engineering cluster.
“The index case of this new cluster (case 8,694) was an employee at the company, who sought treatment at a medical centre on July 9 when he experienced breathing difficulties.
“He tested positive for the virus on the same day.”
Dr Noor Hisham said following the detection of the case, the ministry conducted investigations and screening activities of close contacts.
To date, he said, 32 close contacts had been identified and screened.
“They involve 16 colleagues and 16 family members. One of them tested positive, 16 returned negative and 15 are awaiting results.
“Precautionary measures, such as cleaning and disinfection of the work premises, have been conducted.”
He added that the cause of this infection was still under investigation.
Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said a total of 14 new Covid-19 cases were recorded up to noon yesterday, bringing the overall tally to 8,718.
He said three were imported cases and 11 were locally transmitted.
“All three imported cases involved Malaysians, while the 11 locally transmitted cases involved three Malaysians (two in Sarawak and one in Sabah) and eight foreigners.
“The eight were close contacts of case 8,629 and case 8,630 at the Sepang Immigration detention centre.
“Of the two cases in Sarawak, one was detected at the Sarawak General Hospital and the other case was a close contact of case8,694, who was part of the Kuching engineering cluster.
“The case in Sabah was detected in Hospital Keningau,” he said.
As for the country’s active cases, he said it now stood at 77.
He added that four more patients had recovered and were discharged from hospitals yesterday, bringing the current rate of recoveries to 8,519 (97.7 per cent of the total cases).
“Three patients are being treated in the intensive care unit and two of them have been placed on ventilator support.
“No fatalities from the virus were reported to the Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre up to noon today (yesterday), keeping the death toll at 122 (1.39 per cent of the total cases).”
Dr Noor Hisham also said eight out of the 115 detainees at the Sepang Immigration detention depot had tested positive for Covid-19 up to noon yesterday, following the second screening done before their deportation.
To date, a total of 1,477 individuals had been screened for Covid-19 at the Sepang Immigration detention depot. Seventytwo positive cases had been identified.
“This is a repeat screening of close contact screening done on 115 detainees placed in Block C on July 10. All the positive cases of this cluster involved foreigners.
“They have previously been isolated in the detention centre and positive cases have been admitted to hospital for further treatment, thus this does not bring the risk of transmission to the community.”
On the Bukit Jalil Immigration detention depot active cluster, he said 1,661 people had been screened, 649 of which tested positive and 1,012 tested negative.