Recovered Covid-19 cases remain in single digit

Ministry detects three clusters related to half of latest infections reported

joekaosjr@thestar.com.my

The single-digit number of new Covid-19 infections remains for another day after the Health Ministry announced six new positive cases.

However, Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (pic) said the ministry has detected three new Covid-19 clusters related to three of the six new cases reported yesterday.

The Health director-general said at least 10 cases were found to be linked to the new Bukit Bintang cluster in Kuala Lumpur, involving nine Bangladesh nationals and one Malaysian.

“The index case for this cluster is a foreigner who had undergone Covid-19 screening before reporting for work and was found to be positive on June 15.

“An investigation and tests were conducted on the patient’s close contacts. A total of 274 individuals – 203 non-Malaysians and 71 Malaysians – were tested.

“Based on the investigation, we found nine positive cases, while 265 tested negative. Seven of the 10 cases are housemates of the index case,” said Dr Noor Hisham at the ministry’s press conference here.

He added that sanitation and disinfection has been conducted at their homes and other related locations.

“We are still investigating the source of infection of this cluster,” he said.

Meanwhile, another new cluster was discovered in Kuching related to a new construction site.

Dr Noor Hisham said the cluster was detected after a third case tested positive for Covid-19 at a private clinic.

“The patient is the supervisor of two Indonesian workers who were found to be Covid-19-positive on June 16, following a screening conducted at their workplace,” he said, adding that 426 close contacts have been identified.

So far, 62 have tested negative while the test results for another 364 individuals were pending.

The third new cluster is related to a condominium in Hulu Langat, Selangor, where the index case is a tahfiz student who tested positive on June 8 after being screened.

“Active case detection was organised and two more positive cases were discovered from this cluster.

“One is a non-Malaysian who is also a foster uncle of the index case. They do not live together but they had visited one another.

“Another case was a work colleague of the uncle,” said Dr Noor Hisham.

So far, 40 close contacts have been identified and screened, of whom three have tested positive, 30 tested negative and seven more were awaiting results.

Of the other three new cases, one was found from a screening conducted at a tahfiz in Selangor while another two were import cases of a Malaysian returning from Mexico and a permanent resident coming back from India.

Earlier, Dr Noor Hisham also announced no additional deaths and 45 more patients have been discharged, which meant there are only 244 active cases left in the country.

Cumulatively, Malaysia has had 8,596 positive cases, 8,231 recoveries and 121 deaths.