Funerals, weddings and cock-fighting spur new clusters

PETALING JAYA: Celebrations, weddings, funerals and other social activities have led to 83 Covid-19 community clusters throughout the country since March 1.

This is among the findings of an analysis done by The Star based on Health Ministry figures.

According to the ministry’s data, there were 347 Covid-19 clusters that emerged throughout the country from March 1 to April 14.

Of the total, 236 (68%) were categorised as workplace clusters, followed by 83 (23.9%) community clusters and 12 detention centre clusters (3.5%).

In addition, there were nine (2.6%) high risk group clusters, three (0.9%) imported clusters and four (1.1%) religious event clusters.

According to the ministry’s background description of the clusters, some of the 83 community clusters were linked to funerals, celebrations, gatherings and weddings.

The remaining community clusters were related to index cases detected during hospital admission and procedure screening, pre-employment screening, interstate travel screening as well as screenings of symptomatic individuals.

For context, the government on March 5 allowed travel across districts while keeping interstate movement restricted.

Since then, there have been reports of an increase in Covid-19 cases, including those caused by social activities.

A total of 65,077 Covid-19 cases were recorded nationwide from March 1 to April 14.

Selangor recorded the most number of new clusters of various categories during that period at 74, followed by Johor (72), Sarawak (43), Sabah (31) and Kuala Lumpur (23).

Last month, Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas reminded Sarawakians to avoid social gatherings and to comply with Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP).

He said the number of cases had remained high of late because of the failure of some people to adhere to the SOP, particularly at social gatherings.

“Several clusters have emerged from social gatherings, where those affected were involved in funerals, weddings, gambling and cock-fighting activities.

“These social activities sometimes involve inter-district travel and movement from red zones to other zones, causing the disease to spread,” he was reported saying at the state disaster management committee’s briefing in Kuching on March 1.

Earlier this month, Terengganu state health director Dr Nor Azimi Yunus was reported as saying that mengeteh or ngeteh – having coffee or tea with friends in restaurants or stalls after subuh (dawn) prayers in mosques or surau – was one factor behind the emergence of a Covid-19 cluster in Besut.

On April 10, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, responding on Twitter to user @ModGelap who asked why the east coast of Sabah was seeing a rise in cases, replied: “Social activities are increasing.”

“These social activities sometimes involve interdistrict travel and movement from red zones to other zones, causing the disease to spread”

Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas