PETALING JAYA: The number of Covid-19 cases in the country took a huge spike when 147 new positive cases were recorded yesterday, bringing the national tally to 10,505.
Besides that, three new deaths were reported as of 12pm yesterday , thus taking the number of fatalities to 133.
Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement out of the 147 cases, 143 were through local transmission.
“Of that number, 115 are among Malaysians and 28 others are foreigners while the remaining four are imported cases involving three Malaysians returning from India and one foreigner returning from Indonesia,” he said.
The majority of the cases reported were from Sabah with 134.
“ Out of 134 cases in Sabah, 105 were from the Benteng LD cluster involving 90 Malaysians and 15 foreigners, eight cases from Laut cluster (foreigners), and eight cases from Bangau cluster involving six Malaysians and two foreigners.
“Also,five cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) among four Malaysians and one foreigner, three cases among local health personnel from Semporna Hospital were detected through screening tests and currently being treated in Tawau Hospital,“ he said.
The other cases involved two from Pulau cluster (Malaysians), two cases from a new cluster identified in Tawau namely the Udin cluster which involves foreigners and the remaining one case in Sabah was detected through screening tests for detainees at the Semporna police headquarters involving a Malaysian,“ he said.
The other five cases were reported from Kedah where four of them were from Sungai cluster (Malaysians) and one case who is a local was identified through community screening.
There were two more positive cases in Selangor where one was detected through screening test for a local employer and the patient had a travel history to Semporna, Sabah and one case was a close contact of a patient case number 10286, detected through screening test and the patient also had a travel history to Semporna.
The remaining two cases were each detected in Kuala Lumpur (one case) through a screening test for a Malaysian returning from Sabah and another case was in Kelantan which was detected through screening test at the International Gate (PMA) and also involves a Malaysian who returned from Sabah as well.
Noor Hisham said the death case number 131 (case number 10495) was a 48-year-old Indonesian woman who had a medical history of diabetes and high blood pressure.
“The case began to experience symptoms of weakness, vomiting, cough and fever on Sept 14. The patient was then brought to the Emergency Department of Tawau Hospital, Sabah on Sept 18 in a semi-conscious state. The condition of the case was found to have deteriorated and she was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Sept 19 and was pronounced dead on the same day at 10.20 pm. Covid-19 screening was positive on Sept 22,“ he said.
The 132nd death (case number 10493) was a 54-year-old Malaysian man who was treated at the Emergency Department of Semporna Hospital, Sabah on Sept 18 for symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath.
He did the virus screening test and as his health was deteriorating he was referred to Tawau Hospital on Sept 20 where the case was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
“The case was confirmed dead on Sept 22 at 6.55pm and the Covid test result showed positive on the same day,“ he said.
The 133rd death was a 72-year-old Malaysian man who had a stroke. The case was detected as a close contact to the 9124th case (passed away) which is a positive case in the Tawar Cluster.
“It was an asymptomatic case, tested positive on Aug 19 and later was admitted to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Alor Star. His health deteriorating and he was immediately transferred him to the ICU. He was pronounced dead on Sept 23 at 3.40am,” Noor Hisham added.
Apart from that, the health ministry detected a new active cluster in Tawau, Sabah which is the Udin cluster.
The index case number 9894 is a 72-year-old Malaysian woman who tested positive through screening test for the elderly at Merotai health clinic in Tawau on Sept 12.
Following that, another two cases were reported yesterday.
“Both of them are Philippine citizens and were asymptomatic cases and are now being treated at Tawau Hospital,“ he said.
To date, a total of 128 individuals have been screened and a total of three positive cases have been recorded, 71 are negative and 54 pending results.
As for the Benteng LD cluster in Sabah, a total of 729 positive cases have been reported under this cluster which involves Tawau, Lahad Datu and Sandakan.
“Out of 10,389 individuals screened, 570 positive cases reported in Tawau , 5,109 tested negative and 2,147 were awaiting for results while in Lahad Datu, 158 positive cases were reported in Lahad Datu under this cluster , 1490 were negative and another 914 awaiting results,“ he said.
For the Bangau -Bangau cluster, eight new cases were reported yesterday , bringing the total of number to 13, involving 10 Malaysians and three Philippine citizens.
Another 92 individuals are still awaiting results.
As for the Laut cluster,it recorded a total of 12 cases among Phillipines citizens and out of 488 individuals screened, 345 found negative and 131 individuals still waiting for results.
The Pulau cluster in Kunak and Semporna recorded a total of 37 positive cases.
Out of 731 screened, 31 tested positive in Kunak while the remaining 326 are waiting for results and 261 were negative.
In Semporna, there are six positive cases, 37 were negative and 70 individuals waiting for results.
For the Sungai cluster, 87 positive cases were reported.
Out of 24,870 people screened, 86 tested positive in Kedah, no positive cases in Penang and one positive case in Perlis.
A total of 39 patients were discharged today, bringing the total number of recoveries to 9,602.
Out of 770 active cases in the country, eight patients are now being treated in ICUs where two of them need ventilator assistance.
