COVID-19 weekly round-up: Another new cluster emerges today

The detection of a more virulent strain D614G and the emergence of a new cluster, Tawar, are the most alarming developments this week on the local COVID-19 front.

D614G can reportedly spread 10 times faster and proof of this mutation has been found in Kedah’s notorious Sivagangga PUI (persons under investigation) cluster cases.

The cluster was first reported on July 28 and within nine days 43 cases were detected. As of Aug 11, the cluster had 45 cases.

Today, the Ministry of Health reported a new cluster, Maju, which involves a restaurant in Titiwangsa here. It was detected on Aug 16 and as of now, this cluster has reported three cases involving two workers of the restaurant and a customer.

Over the last 24 hours up to noon today, nine new COVID-19 cases were announced, five of which are local transmissions and four imported. Three of the local transmissions are from the Tawar cluster in Kedah.

Total COVID-19 cases in Malaysia now stood at 9,249 and active cases 179.

Another 13 patients were discharged today, bringing the total number of recoveries to 8,945 (96.7 percent of total cases). Seven patients are warded in the intensive care unit with four of them requiring respiratory aid. The death toll remains at 125 (1.35 percent of total cases).

On Aug 16, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah announced that the Institute for Medical Research detected the new D614G strain through isolation and culture tests conducted on three cases from the Sivagangga cluster and one case from the Ulu Tiram cluster.

He said although swift action by the health authorities has kept the two clusters under control, the public must not let down their guard as it has been found that it is 10 times easier for D614G to infect other individuals, more so if it is transmitted by “super spreader” individuals.

“Following the detection of the D614G mutation, the community has to be extra careful,” Dr Noor Hisham said on his official Facebook page on Aug 16.

According to Dr Noor Hisham, non-compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the government to stem the transmission of COVID-19 was the main reason for the emergence of the Tawar and Sala clusters, both in Kedah.

The Tawar cluster has its origins in a family gathering that did not adhere to SOPs as the number of people present did not correspond with the size of the place where they had gathered, thus making it impossible for them to observe physical distancing.

The index case for the Tawar cluster, which was announced on Aug 13, was a Malaysian businessman who had attended a religious gathering.

As of today, this cluster reported 58 positive cases (47 in Kedah and 11 in Penang). In Kedah, 224 individuals related to this cluster are still awaiting the results of their COVID-19 screening. In Penang, 25 people are awaiting test results.

As for the Sala cluster, the index case had a history of visiting a patient in a hospital together with several of his family members who were also tested positive for COVID-19.

As of Wednesday, this cluster had 11 cases while 157 close contacts are still awaiting test results.

-- BERNAMA