Three new COVID-19 clusters detected – Health DG
KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Three new COVID-19 clusters — the Elsa Cluster in Pahang, PUI Ramnad Cluster in Kuala Lumpur and PUI Al Khobar Cluster in Selangor — were detected in Malaysia today, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
He said the index case for the Elsa Cluster is a foreigner while those for the PUI Ramnad and PUI Al Khobar Clusters are Malaysians.
Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the Elsa Cluster index case, which is case 8,839, is a shipping crew with a history of air travel from the Philippines with transit in South Korea.
”He entered Malaysia on July 16 to start work. A COVID-19 test done in the Philippines on July 14 was reported to be negative.
“He then took a flight to Kuantan, and stayed at a hotel there before he was taken to the ship for quarantine with the approval of the Marine Department. Five days later, on July 20, he started having symptoms,” he said in a statement today.
Dr Noor Hisham said these three clusters were local transmission cases which were infected by imported cases.
As a result, 108 close contacts have been screened, with three (two foreigners and one Malaysian) testing positive, 48 negative while 57 are awaiting their results, he said.
The PUI Ramnad Cluster index case, which is case 8,817, had returned from India on July 6 but the individual tested negative at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Dr Noor Hisham said the returnee was the placed under Home Surveillance Order (HSO) and began to show light symptoms on July 19.
“The screening on 13th day of HSO turned out positive and that person was admitted to Hospital Sungai Buloh, Selangor. A total of 18 close contacts, comprising six family members and six aircraft passengers, have been screened,” he added.
He said two family members were found positive, 13 people were negative and three others are still waiting for their results.
Dr Noor Hisham said the index case for the PUI Al Khobar Cluster (case 8,803) returned from Saudi Arabia on July 10 but was tested negative at KLIA.
The index case started showing symptoms on July 18 and was confirmed COVID-19 positive on July 20, he said.
“The index case underwent HSO together with five family members who returned from Saudi Arabia on the same flight. Their house has two other family members,” he said.
Following tests on the seven family members, one was found positive and six turned out negative.
He said the authorities were continuing investigations and screening of close contacts including other passengers of the flight taken by the index case.
— BERNAMA
