SIX NEW CLUSTERS, FOUR IN SABAH

13 OCTOBER 2020

KOTA KINABALU: Six more Covid-19 clusters were identified in the country Tuesday, four of which were detected in Sabah while one each was in Selangor and Penang.

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said, the four new clusters in Sabah were the Semarak Cluster, Bina Cluster, Sabindo Cluster and Bestari Cluster.

Meanwhile, the Bah Kenangan Cluster and Penjara Jawi Cluster were identified in Selangor and Penang respectively.

“Semarak Cluster was identified in Tawau. The index case for this cluster – the 12,200th case – tested positive after a symptomatic screening on October 3 and had been admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

“Contact tracing activities have identified 13 more positive cases. To date, a total of 19 individuals were screened, with 14 positive and five pending result,” he said in a virtual press conference, Tuesday.

Noor Hisham stated the Bina Cluster was identified in Beaufort and the index case – the 15,575th case – tested positive after an admission screening in Sipitang Hospital on October 10. The patient has been warded in Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

“Thirteen individuals have tested positive following contact tracing activities. To date, a total of 59 individuals have been screened, with 14 tested positive and 45 negative,” he said.

The index case of the Sabindo Cluster which was identified in Tawau has tested positive for the virus on October 13 after a symptomatic screening activity and the patient had been admitted to Tawau Hospital, he added.

“Contact tracing activities which have screened a total of 76 individuals to date found that 14 individuals had contracted the virus while 51 individuals tested negative and the rest still waiting for their test results.”

The Bistari Cluster, Noor Hisham said, was identified in Sandakan. A symptomatic screening activity found the index case of the cluster to have tested positive on October 10 and the patient has been warded in Sandakan Duchess of Kent Hospital.

He added that contact tracing activities found 18 more individuals positive. A total of 45 individuals have been screened to date with 19 tested positive and the rest still waiting for their test results.