Possible that Tawar, Sivagangga clusters came from same source - Health D-G

There is a big possibility that the Tawar cluster and Sivagangga PUI (person under investigation) cluster may have originated from the same source, said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said four samples taken from the Tawar cluster virus were compared with three from the Sivagangga cluster and results showed that all seven viruses were from the same clade.

“This suggests that the two clusters were highly likely from the same source. However, investigations are still being carried out,” he said at a press conference on COVID-19 here today.

Dr Noor Hisham said that previously, the virology test on the Tawar cluster had been done by the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) and Ministry of Health (MOH) after taking into account the sudden spike in cases involving other districts and states.

He said that results on four out of the 14 samples taken for the purpose of full genome sequencing found the virus to be identical to the mutated D614G.

Dr Noor Hisham said the Tawar cluster has so far recorded 73 cases and a total of 4,521 people have been screened from that cluster in Penang, Kedah and Perak.

He said it was also found that the Tawar cluster was not confined to one locality.

In addition, infections have also been reported from asymptomatic cases and the D614G virus is the same as the Sivagangga PUI cluster, he said.

"Therefore, the administrative Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) will be implemented in three zones in Aman Jaya, Kedah, namely Kenanga, Mawar and Melur, effective 12.01 am on Aug 28 until a date to announced later,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked on the Tawar Cluster which recorded 21 cases involving children, he said none of them had been admitted into the intensive care unit (ICU) or succumbed to the virus./p

Dr Noor Hisham also said that his ministry had yet to use convalescent plasma as a treatment for COVID-19.

He said at least 12 recovered COVID-19 patients had donated their blood which produced 22 packs of convalescent plasma ready to be used if the ministry decided to adopt the use of convalescent plasma as part of COVID-19 treatment.

He said the MOH is currently looking for more evidence on the effectiveness of this method.

-- BERNAMA