MCO day 145: New daily Covid-19 cases at 13

KUALA LUMPUR, 9 Aug 2020:

There were 13 new Covid-19 cases reported in Malaysia today – comprising nine imported and four local transmission cases, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said the imported cases involved five Malaysians and four foreigners.

All the local transmission cases involved Malaysians — two linked to the Sivagangga PUI Cluster, and one each to the Kurau and Meranti clusters, he added.

“For the imported cases, two each were from China, India and Japan and one each was from Ireland, Indonesia and Yemen.

“For the local transmissions, three cases were detected in Penang and one was confirmed in the Federal Territory of Putrajaya,” he said in a statement.

Dr Noor Hisham said nine cases were discharged today, bringing the cumulative figure for recoveries to 8,784, or 96.7% of the total number of positive cases.

He said one positive case was still being treated in the Intensive Care Unit but the patient was not on ventilator support.

No fatalities were reported today and the death toll remains at 125, he said.

On developments concerning the Sivagangga PUI Cluster, Dr Noor Hisham said so far 4,636 people had been screened, with 45 having tested positive, 4,105 negative and 486 are still awaiting their test results.

“The Covid-19 screenings were conducted in three states – Kedah (4,078), Perlis (390) and Penang (168). Screening of close contacts and active case detection are continuing.”

Dr Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry (MoH) had taken various preventive measures like sanitisation in several areas identified as closely linked to the cluster.

MoH has detected two more new Covid-19 clusters – the Kurau Cluster in Penang and the Meranti Cluster in Putrajaya.

He said the Kurau Cluster involved two positive cases with the first, case number 9,050, reported on Aug 7, while the second, case number 9,082, was the brother-in-law of case 9,050.

“He (the second case) was detected through active case detection, and close contact screening. Following this, his family in Penang have also been screened.

“On Aug 9 (today), he was detected as positive for Covid-19 while his family members who have been screened so far (five people) have been found negative.”

To date, he said 115 close contacts have been screened with 106 found negative while nine more are waiting for the screening test results. “Active detection and screening of close contacts are still being conducted.”

On the Meranti Cluster, Dr Noor Hisham said the positive cases were detected yesterday when a health worker, case number 9,083, was found to be positive.

“The person had contact with case 8,968, which was a Covid-19 case detected through pre-surgery screening. Upon investigation, case 8,968 was found to have a history of getting treatment at the health facility where case 9,083 was working.”

Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry was conducting close contact screening and active case detection activities with 15 individuals screened.

“The cause of the cluster infections is still being investigated.”

– Bernama