KUALA LUMPUR: A wood product manufacturing factory in Kawasan Perindustrian Sungai Gandut, in Seremban, Negri Sembilan contributed to the sudden spike of Covid-19 cases in the state.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the Industri Sungai Gandut cluster reported 1,388 cases.
Since the cluster was identified on Feb 22, 1,432 cases have been detected there involving 318 locals and 1,114 foreign workers.
The factory has been closed since Feb 21.
Most of the workers at the factory's hostel have already been transferred to Low Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) MAEPS, with some of the taken to hospitals or told to observe home quarantine.
"The condition of the hostel is unsatisfactory and action has been taken by the Negri Sembilan Labour Department. The unsatisfactory living condition of the foreign workers is the reason behind the infection," he said today.
Meanwhile, eight new clusters have been identified in the country, with seven involving workplaces.
The Jalan Enam Cluster was identified in Petaling, Selangor following targeted screenings since Feb 7 involving workers from a factory along Jalan SU 6A, Shah Alam. From 173 people screened, 15 tested positive.
The Jalan Ulu Choh Cluster involves a factory in Pontian, Johor. It contributed to 34 confirmed cases from 190 screened individuals.
The Perindustrian Lukut Cluster was also identified from a targeted screening exercise involving factory workers in Kota Tinggi, Johor.
"As of Feb 24, 28 cases have been detected from 239 individuals tested," he said.
The Jalan Dato Yunus Cluster was detected in Johor Bharu involving factory workers at Kawasan Perindustrian Dato Yunus Sulaiman, Gelang Patah, Johor.
So far, 30 individuals have been screened, with eight confirmed positive for Covid-19.
The Pasar Bidor Cluster in Batang Padang district in Perak recorded 25 cases, where the index case (Case 19,7607) had Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) earlier this month.
A new cluster in the Seberang Perai Selatan district in Penang is identified as the Lorong Bakau Cluster, involving workers at a furniture factory.
"From 297 individuals screened, 50 came back positive," he said.
A new cluster in Penang, the Vista Hilir cluster, involves the northeast and southwest districts of the island. Cases were detected on Feb 15 from a targeted screening exercise of factory workers in Hilir Sungai Kluang 2 at the Bayan Lepas free trade zone.
A total of 35 cases have been detected from 154 individuals screened.
The Sinsingon Cluster is the only community cluster detected today, involving the Nabawan district in Sabah. It was linked to a funeral ceremony in Kampung Sinsingon, Nabawan from Feb 17 to 20.
"From 106 individuals screened, 18 came back positive," he said.