COVID-19: MOH probes positive case claim in Lembah Pantai school

The Health Ministry (MOH) is conducting tests on a student in Seri Pantai, Lembah Pantai, here who is said to have contracted COVID-19 as viraled on social media.

Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the student has tested positive for dengue fever while a COVID-19 test was being done at the laboratory to ensure there was no cross-reaction.

He said the MOH had received a report from the school about the symptoms shown, and an investigation was carried out, in which it was revealed that the Form 5 student had been vomiting and suffered from diarrhoea on Aug 9.

“She sought treatment at a private clinic the next day and was then referred to a medical centre for further treatment, where she was screened for dengue and also COVID-19,” he said in a statement today.

Dr Noor Hisham said pending results, the MOH has initiated Active Case Detection as part of proactive measures to minimise the risk of infection.

To date, 34 students and eight teachers have been identified as close contacts, and from those, 28 have been screened, while 14 more have been told to present themselves at the Health Clinic for sampling, he said.

All those screened have also been directed to placed under the Home Surveillance Order (HSO) as a preventive measure, while disinfection and sanitisation have also been done at identified areas.

“Monitoring of all close contacts will be done and the ministry will provide updates from time to time,” he said, while adding that until investigations are concluded and the student is confirmed COVID-19 positive by the ministry, reports from other sources will be treated as speculation.

-- BERNAMA