PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry has identified two related Covid-19 sub-clusters in Kuantan, Pahang.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this was found after targeted approach activities through tracing, screening and testing were conducted on high-risk groups.
He said through the Person Under Investigation (PUI), the Bali cluster was detected in Kuantan, which also comprised several health workers from a medical centre in Kuantan.
“As of April 13, we had identified 20 people in the cluster. Fourteen are being treated at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital.
“Two have recovered, three are in the intensive care unit (ICU), and one (Case 1,575) has died,” he said at a press conference today.
He said from the total, three were healthcare workers.
He added that the index case for the cluster is Case 4,684 who had a travel history to Bali, Indonesia.
“The patient had close contact with Case 1,575 who was the patient’s brother.
“Case 1,575 then infected seven Generation 2 cases and 11 Generation 3 cases.”
Dr Noor Hisham added that 339 close contacts had been identified and had been screened for Covid-19. This also included 202 healthcare workers, he said.
Meanwhile, Malaysia once again logged higher recoveries than new infection figures.
As of today, 168 more patients had been discharged, bringing the number to 2,276 or 47.3 per cent from the total.
The ministry also reported 134 new cases, bringing the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases to 4,817.
“There are 2,464 active cases. They have been isolated and given treatment.
“Currently, 66 of them are warded in the ICU with 36 needing respiratory assistance,” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham also said the National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre reported one new fatality, raising the death toll to 77, or 1.6 per cent from the total nationwide Covid-19 cases.
He said the 77th death (Case 2,797) was a Malaysian man aged 52, with a history of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and kidney disease.
“He was warded at Melaka Hospital on March 31 and was pronounced dead on April 13, at 9.15am.”