KUALA LUMPUR: A new Covid-19 cluster in Kunak, Sabah, has been identified after eight individuals tested positive for the coronavirus yesterday.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the cluster dubbed the Pulau cluster was linked to case index 9,940, a 68-year-old woman who was found lying unconscious in her house.
He said the index case was initially taken to the Kunak Hospital before she was referred to the Tawau Hospital for a heart attack, stroke and liver related complications. The patient is hooked to the ventilator and is receiving treatment in the ICU.
"A Covid-19 test was carried out on the patient at Tawau and the result came back positive on Sept 13. We immediately carried out the active case detection for her close contacts and have so far screened 128 individuals.
"Of the 128, eight individuals who are her close family members have so far tested positive for the virus," he said at a press conference at the Health Ministry.
Dr Noor Hisham said the test results for 18 others in the same circle has come back negative but the remaining 101 cases test results are still pending.
"The cause of the new cluster's infection is still under investigation. As an immediate prevention measure, the ministry has ordered cleaning and disinfectant exercise to be carried out at locations likely to be hazardous," he said, adding that this brought the number of new cases in the country today to 23.
Of that, he said only 13 were local transmission cases, including the eight friom the Pulau cluster.
"Four of the new cases recorded are from the Benteng LD cluster, involving one local and three foreigners. And one more is a patient who was referred from Semporna hospital to Tawau," he said.
He said there were 14 patients in the ICU with four requiring the aid of ventilators.
"However no new deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours".
For the Benteng LD cluster in Sabah, Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry has screened 6,610 to date and recorded a total of 424 cases until 12pm today.
"In Lahad Datu, so far a total of 1,531 individuals had been screened, 93 individuals tested positive including the four new cases.
"A total of 1,127 individuals tested negative for Covid-19 and 311 individuals are still waiting for their test results.
"In Tawau, the ministry has screened 5,079 individuals and 331 were found positive while 2,352 tested negative and 2,396 are waiting for their results," he said.
Dr Noor Hisham said the breakdown based on the total screening for Benteng LD cluster, involved 1,096 prisoners and detainees of which 395 cases tested positive for Covid-19, including the latest four.
"It also included 1,147 Lahad Datu district Police headquarters and Tawau Prison staff being tested of which 10 cases were positive. Also tested were 1,251 family members of staff and inmates, and 2,139 social contacts, where both remained with nine and 10 positive cases, respectively.
"Out of the 424 positive cases, 186 were among locals while 238 were foreigners from the Philippiness with 154 cases; and Indonesia with 84 cases," he said.
To a question on whether it was safe for the Sabah election to proceed, due to active Covid cases, Dr Noor Hisham said so long the people adhered to the Election SOPs, wore a mask and kept their distance from one another, there should not be a problem.
"However, it is still best that people in the affected areas avoid outdoors to stay safe.
"Just by wearing a mask and keeping a one metre or more distance from one another reduces the probability of infection by 75-80 percent," he said.
Meanwhile, on the latest development of Covid-19 in Kota Star, Kedah, which has been placed under Targeted Enhanced Movement Control Order (TEMCO) from Sept 11 to Sept 25 due to an influx of positive cases caused by the SivaGangga cluster, Dr Noor Hisham said no new cases were recorded today.
He added that the ministry however decided to conduct mass screening at 10 high risk sub-districts in Kota Star involving about 15,000 individuals.
The sub-districts involved in this mass screening exercise are Pumpong, Alor Merah, Alor Malai, Derga, Kuala Kedah, Pengkalan Kundor, Kota Setar, Langgar, Titi gajah and Mergong.
"So far, we have tested 12,885 individuals from the TEMCO area and 11,757 are negative for Covid-19. We are still waiting for 1,128 pending test results," he said.
In Amanjaya, Kedah, 13,591 individuals from three zones have also been tested, including 65 foreigners. Of that, 16 locals tested positive at so far at Zone Melur.