KUALA LUMPUR:The Health Ministry today detected seven new COVID-19 clusters including four at the workplace, bringing the total number of clusters in Malaysia to 623, with 276 being active ones under monitoring.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said of the total workplace clusters reported, three were detected through targeted screening while one cluster was identified through screening of symptomatic individuals.

He said the workplace clusters were the Jalan Selayang Cluster, Tapak Bina Dutamas Cluster,  Pasir Barat Cluster and Jalan Rantau-Siliau Cluster.

“The Jalan Selayang Cluster was detected in the Gombak district in Selangor. Cases for this cluster tested positive starting on Jan 13 through a targeted screening at a supermarket in Jalan Selayang Baru,” he said in a statement on the development of COVID-19 today.

Dr Noor Hisham said the Tapak Bina Dutamas Cluster was detected in Jalan Dutamas Raya, Segambut, Kuala Lumpur.

He said the Pasir Barat Cluster which involved the Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi districts in Johor, was detected following targeted screening conducted at a project site in Pasir Gudang.

Dr Noor Hisham said the Jalan Rantau-Siliau Cluster in Negri Sembilan registered 96 positive cases.

He said the other three new clusters were the Tropika Cluster, Jalan Pahang Cluster and Intan Mas Cluster.

Dr Noor Hisham said the Tropika Cluster in Johor Baru, Johor was detected following screening of detainees at a detention centre and their close contacts.

The Jalan Pahang Cluster involved the districts of Kepong, Titiwangsa, Lembah Pantai and Cheras in Kuala Lumpur, he added.

“This cluster was detected at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital and six positive cases have been reported,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

For the Intan Mas Cluster, he said the index case was detected at the Taman Intan Emas housing area in Teluk Intan Perak with 15 positive cases reported so far.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said one more cluster, namely the Huma Cluster in Kelantan ended today, bringing the cumulative number for ended clusters to 347.

-- BERNAMA