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Health Ministry spots eight new Covid-19 clusters nationwide today

Healthcare workers carry out Covid-19 screening in Kuala Lumpur October 21, 2020. — Picture by Hari Anggara
Healthcare workers carry out Covid-19 screening in Kuala Lumpur October 21, 2020. — Picture by Hari Anggara

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 21 — Eight new Covid-19 clusters have been identified by the Health Ministry today. They are located in Sabah, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembilan and Labuan.

Its director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the Sabah clusters were detected at Basung in Kudat, Inai in Kudat, and Tempayan in Kota Kinabalu and Penampang.

“As for Selangor and KL, the Long cluster involves Hulu Langat district, Titiwangsa, Lembah Pantai and Kepong. Similarly, the Cahaya cluster involves Petaling district in Selangor and Tampin district in Negri Sembilan,” he said during his press conference.

The other clusters are Bah Kota in Sepang, Selangor and Seremban, Negri Sembilan; the Melati cluster in Titiwangsa, KL and Klang, Selangor; and the Bina Labuan cluster in Labuan.

Dr Noor Hisham said the Basung cluster started at a fisherman’s jetty in which 19 positive cases were detected via targeted screening. As of 12pm today, 174 individuals have undergone screening, with 19 overall testing as positive, 148 found to be negative and seven more awaiting results.

He said the index patient in the Inai cluster was detected on October 14 during a screening of symptomatic individuals and has been sent for quarantining and treatment in Kota Belud.

“Subsequent screenings have revealed seven other positive cases, and as of 12pm today 92 individuals have been screened, with eight overall tested as positive, and 84 still awaiting results,” he said.

The index patient in the Tempayan cluster was tested positive on October 1 and was sent for treatment to Hospital Queen Elizabeth in Kota Kinabalu. The Health director-general said further close-contact tracing turned up 18 other positive cases.

As of 12pm today, 21 individuals have been screened, with 19 overall tested as positive, one testing as negative and one more still awaiting results.

The index patient in the Long cluster was detected during a screening on symptomatic individuals on October 12 and has been sent to Hospital Sungai Buloh for treatment. Subsequent close-contact tracing found 17 other positive cases.

“As of 12pm today, 301 individuals have undergone screening, in which 18 overall tested as positive, 260 were found to be negative and 23 are still awaiting results,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

The index patient in the Cahaya cluster was identified on October 16 during a screening on symptomatic individuals and sent to Hospital Sungai Buloh. Similar to the Long cluster, 17 positive cases were detected for Cahaya following close-contact tracing.

As of 12pm today, 84 individuals have been screened in which 18 overall tested as positive, three were found to be negative, and 63 are still awaiting results.

“The Bah Kota cluster’s index case is the 17,988th case first detected on October 14 during a screening on symptomatic individuals and who was sent to Hospital Sungai Buloh. Further close-contact tracing has identified nine more positive cases.

“As of 12pm today, 171 individuals have been screened, in which 10 overall tested as positive, while 161 still await the results,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

The Melati Cluster’s index case is the 18,002th case, first detected on October 14 during a screening on symptomatic individuals and also sent to Hospital Sungai Buloh. Close-contact tracing has identified eight other positive cases.

As of 12pm today, 24 individuals have undergone screening, in which nine overall tested as positive, while 15 are awaiting results.

“The Bina Labuan cluster’s index case is the 22,943th case, first identified during a hospital screening today and who also died on the same day in Hospital Labuan. Close-contact tracing has identified four more positive cases.

“As of 12pm today, 60 individuals have undergone screening, in which five overall have tested as positive, with 55 more awaiting results,” he said.

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