COVID: Surge in positive cases in Melaka, Kelantan due Raya visits

MELAKA: The COVID-19 spike and emergence of several new clusters in Melaka over the past few days is believed to be due Hari Raya visits, said State Health and Anti-Drugs Committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman.

Rahmad said those tested positive for COVID-19 admitted they had visited their relatives and other family members even though they were prohibited from doing so.

"It is true some of the new clusters were due to non-compliance of the standard operating procedures (SOP) ...secretly these people have been out visiting their family members and some have travelled inter-district and interstate and this has contributed to the surge in cases," he told Bernama here today.

Yesterday the media reported Melaka recorded 212 cases, its highest daily COVID-19 infection, with four fatalities.

Rahmad said one of the new clusters believed to be due to the Raya visits, was the Batu Lapan Bukit Rambai cluster, in which the index case is an elderly man aged 70, as reported yesterday.

RAHMAD-COVID 2 (LAST) MELAKA

As of yesterday, a total of 28 close contacts were screened and 12 were tested positive, he added.

Meanwhile, Kelantan State Health Department (JKNK) director Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin said the spread of COVID-19 infection in Tumpat and Sungai Pinang sub-district was believed to be due to Hari Raya activities.

Elaborating he said, a woman in her 30s who lived in Bunut Susu sub-district, Pasir Mas and happened to be a close contact of a confirmed case, had returned to Kampung Teluk Renjuna to celebrate Aidilfitri.

Zaini said JKNK received information on her whereabouts from the Pasir Mas District Health Office on May 11 and the woman was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on May 13.

"We cannot determine if the woman had visited other places or who had visited her at her house and now so many people are involved," he told Bernama when contacted here today.

-- BERNAMA