PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry has identified three new clusters, bringing the total number of active clusters to 39, Health director-general Tan Sri Datuk Dr Noor Hisham (pix) said in a press conference today.
The first is the Kapor cluster involving the Kudat district in Sabah where a total of 46 cases have been reported since Oct 22. A total of 127 people had been screened and results are still pending for 81 of them.
The second, namely the Hampar cluster, involved Rembau district in Negeri Sembilan where the index case was identified on Oct 21 and sent to Rembau hospital.
Dr Noor Hisham said through contact tracing, a total of four more positive cases were recorded today.
“To date a total of five positive cases, 96 were tested negative and 477 still awaiting for their results,“ he said.
The last cluster for the day was the Penjara Tapah cluster that involved Batang Padang district in Perak where a total of 11 individuals tested positive through screening conducted in the prison since Oct 12.
“All of the infected individuals are being treated in Raja Permaisuri Bainun hospital in Ipoh and Teluk Intan hospital,” he said.
“Another four more cases detected through contact tracing were discovered today and to date a total of 11 cases under this cluster.”
Dr Noor Hisham said the name selection for a cluster was based on the background of an index case.
“The name of the cluster is chosen based on the name of a building, park, residential street, or a workplace of that index case as this is to ensure an effective communication between the parties involved in the cluster and its management,“ he said.
He said the ministry is very careful in naming clusters to avoid anxiety and stigma posed to the patients, residents or organisations involved.
