COVID-19: Another cluster surfaces in Sabah

Another COVID-19 cluster has surfaced in Sabah, making it the fifth cluster in the state.

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this latest cluster, named the Kuarters Cluster, was found in Tongod, Sandakan, and that so far five positive cases have been reported from it following screening done in the district.

He said on Sept 4, a health worker from Tongod tested positive during RTK Antigen screening.

“This worker was screened upon referral to the hospital. However, the confirmation test through rt-PCR screening proved negative. The screening done around the Tongod district that started on Sept 6 involved the local community including staff at the local health clinic.

“All the positive cases (cases 10,253 to 10,257) in this cluster are Malaysians. They were asymptomatic and were admitted to the Duchess of Kent Hospital, Sandakan for treatment,” he said in a statement today.

So far 117 individuals have been screened involving this cluster with 112 of them awaiting the test results while the index case is still being traced .

“Prevention measures including disinfection and cleaning have been undertaken at the Tongod Health Clinic. All patients having appointments there have been referred to the nearest health clinic.

“Health services at the Tongod Health Clinic will resume when the disinfection and cleaning activities have been completed,” he said.

On developments involving clusters in Sabah, Dr Noor Hisham said of the 57 new cases reported today, 14 were from the Pulau Cluster, thus bringing cumulative cases there to 29 (26 Malaysians and three Filipinos)

He said to date, 451 individuals have been screened involving 371 in Kunak, including the 14 new cases there, and 80 in Semporna.

As for the Selamat Cluster, he said that 12 new cases were reported today , thus bringing the tally of positive cases there to 19 with 215 individuals screened so far.

Dr Noor Hisham said five new cases were reported from the Benteng LD Cluster today which brought total positive cases there to 583 after 9,610 people were screened.

"(Meanwhile) As for the Sungai Cluster, only one new case was reported in Kedah, bringing cumulative positive cases involving this cluster to 74 cases with 24,699 people screened as of noon today," he said.

The Sungai Cluster involves the states of Kedah, Penang and Perlis in the peninsula.

-- BERNAMA