COVID-19: New cluster detected in Kedah, 10 tested positive

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has detected another new cluster related to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Tawar Cluster in Kedah, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said that thus far, the Tawar Cluster involved 10 positive cases, with the first case being case 9,113 who tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug 11, with nine more positive cases reported today.

"The first case of this cluster is a Malaysian man who works as a trader. He has a history of attending a religious ceremony commemorating the death of a family member, which took place from July 31 to Aug 1, which is estimated to have been attended by 30 people.

"On Aug 8, he began to experience chest pain and fever symptoms and immediately sought treatment at a medical centre. The COVID-19 screening was subsequently conducted on Aug 9 and the case tested positive on Aug 11," he said in a daily press conference on the development of COVID-19 here today.

Commenting further, Dr Noor Hisham explained that active case detection activities have been carried out and thus far 86 close contacts of the first case have been screened, of which nine tested positive, 21 tested negative and 56 are still awaiting test results.

"All the new cases of this cluster are his family members, where three cases were found to have symptoms. Nine of the positive cases including the first case have a history of attending the said ceremony.

"Measures to prevent and contain the infections, such as disinfection and decontamination processes, have been carried out at the identified locations," he said, adding that the cause of the infection is still under investigation.

Commenting on viral news regarding one symptomatic case involving a student from Seri Pantai in the Lembah Pantai here, Dr Noor Hisham said that the COVID-19 validation test was taken twice in 24 hours and both were negative.

He said close contact screening was conducted on 54 individuals and all COVID-19 validation tests for these individuals were negative.

"The individuals screened involved 42 in national secondary schools, four family members, five family friends and three healthcare personnel," he said.

-- BERNAMA