Covid-19: New cluster detected in Sarawak, says Health DG

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has detected yet another new cluster involving a company in Mambong, Sarawak, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

Noor Hisham explained that to date there were two positive cases reported in the cluster, each involving a local and non-citizen.

“The index case (case 8,732) of this cluster showed symptoms since July 12 and was tested positive on July 14 at a medical centre in Sarawak.

“70 individuals were identified and screened with two testing positive while 68 more are still awaiting results. The source of infection for this cluster is still under investigation,” he said at the Covid-19 media briefing here today.

He said, to date, there were 14 active Covid-19 clusters in the country.

Meanwhile, with regards to a positive case detected yesterday involving a health worker in Sarawak, Dr Noor Hisham confirmed that the nurse was infected after handling a Covid-19 patient.

He explained that the nurse had undergone Covid-19 screening, as soon as the nurse found out that the patient was positive with the virus.

Asked about the Malaysian Medical Association’s (MMA) proposal for the MOH to release the ministry’s list of rapid test kit antigen (RTK-Ag) manufacturers, Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry would engage directly with the association.

“We actually do not promote the companies...when we promote the companies, other companies will question on promoting them as well. To be transparent we will engage with MMA directly,“ he said. — Bernama