- Wartawan Nabalu News
FIVE NEW COVID-19 CLUSTERS IN SABAH INVOLVE SHIP CREWS, SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
8 June 2021
By Wartawan Nabalu News
KOTA KINABALU: A total of four new Covid-19 clusters were detected in Kota Kinabalu while one new cluster was also registered in Kuala Penyu today, with a cumulative total of 188 positive cases.
The clusters in Kota Kinabalu are known as the Ocean Blue cluster, Segera cluster, Coral cluster, and Tanjung Aru Baru cluster; while the cluster detected in Kuala Penyu is knowns as the Kg Bundu cluster.
In his statement today, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the Ocean Blue cluster is a workplace cluster involving a ship's crew in Kota Kinabalu.
"This cluster was detected during screening procedures against 185 ship crews newly arrived from Perak on June 6.
"The index case is the ship's crew - a 29-year-old male - who had been exhibiting symptoms since June 3 before testing positive upon arrival at the base and was later admitted to quarantine centre for further treatment," he said.
"On June 7, the screening results showed 98 more ship crews tested positive for Covid-19, while 86 crew members are still awaiting results," he added.
Based on the initial investigation, Masidi said all crews tested negative through a screening on May 28 in Perak before embarking on the voyage to Sabah on June 1.
Covid-19 transmissions of the Segera Cluster were also detected in the workplace among staff at the Kinabalu Non-Associated Gas (KNNAG) Platform.
The index case is a male electrical technical, 40, on the rig who tested positive through symptomatic screening on June 2. He was admitted to the quarantine centre for further treatment.
Following the case, 141 samples have been taken with 10 tests came back positive, while 110 samples were negative and the rest are still awaiting results. the cluster has a cumulative total of 11 positive cases.
The Coral cluster is also a workplace cluster that was detected in the Samarang Platform.
The index case is a 34-year-old chef who did not experience any symptom but tested positive for Covid-19 through a ship sign-off procedure screening on June 2.
Following the case, close contact screening was immediately carried out where 283 individuals from the entire rig crew were tested.
Eight more individuals were found to have tested positive, while the rest of the tests came back negative.
Meanwhile, the Tanjung Aru Baru cluster involves a community in Kg Tanjung Aru Baru with a cumulative total of 30 cases.
"Additional cases in the cluster were detected through close contact and targeted screening after Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) was imposed in the locality on June 4.
"The index case is a 44-year-old Filipino who tested positive through symptomatic screening on May 25 and was later admitted to the quarantine centre for further examination.
"Out of all the tests conducted on 213 individuals, 30 came back positive, including 20 cases recorded today.
"However, 83 samples came back negative and the rest are still awaiting results," said Masidi.
In Kuala Penyu, the Kg Bundu cluster was detected in several localities, namely Kg Bundu Batu 4, Kg Bundu Batu 3, Kg Tenambak, Kg Sg Labuan, Pekan Kuala Penyu, and Kg Kitang.
The index case is a 45-year-old man who tested positive on May 24. He was a close contact to his child who had earlier tested positive. However, the index case had shown symptoms much earlier compared to his child.
"Close contact screening found 38 more positive cases among social friends and family members. To date, there are a cumulative total of 39 cases in the cluster.
"Based on initial information, the transmission in the cluster was caused by social activities in an entertainment centre."
