High probability that Sivagangga cluster is a super spreader - Dr Noor Hisham

The Ministry of Health (MOH) is studying the possibility of the Sivagangga PUI (persons under investigation) Cluster in Kedah is a super spreader cluster.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that there was high probability that the Sivangangga Cluster was a super spreader as it has a faster rate of transmission compared with other clusters recorded thus far.

"The MOH has to conduct a thorough test, and will cultivate the virus in the laboratory and look at its genomic sequence," he said at a press conference on the development of COVID-19 here today.

He said that currently the MOH managed to control the rapid increase in COVID-19 transmission from the Sivagangga Cluster.

Commenting on the infection in Australia, Dr Noor Hisham said that COVID-19 positive cases in Victoria caused by one infected person who did not comply with standard operating procedure (SOP) at a quarantine centre and subsequently infected the communities as well as the state.

"Earlier today I had a teleconference with my colleague in Melbourne. I was informed that cases of infections concentrated on one returning individual who infected everyone," he said.

He said the situation was similar to what happened in the Sivagangga Cluster.

"An individual who returns and carries an infection but does not comply with the SOP will cause others to be infected," he said.

Meanwhile, when asked to comment on the involvement of MOH in the upcoming Sabah State Election (PRN), Dr Noor Hisham said the SOP implemented in the Chini state by-election that would be applied in the upcoming Slim state by-election, would then serve as a benchmark.

He said the ministry would work with several agencies to improve the SOP which will then be recommended for the Sabah PRN.

-- BERNAMA