New Covid-19 cluster in Kuantan

CORONAVIRUS | The Health Ministry has identified a new cluster of Covid-19 patients in Kuantan, Pahang.

This involved 20 individuals, of which 14 people are currently treated at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan.

Two individuals in this cluster have recovered while another three are in intensive care.

One patient in this cluster (Patient 1,575) died on April 3.

Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said three of those in this cluster are healthcare workers.

He said the index case - Patient 4,684 - has previously travelled to Bali, Indonesia before coming into close contact with Patient 1,575. Both patients are siblings.

Following this, Patient 1,575 infected seven others, which in turn infected 11 others.

Noor Hisham said 339 close contacts - including 202 health workers - have been identified from this cluster and tested for Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Noor Hisham said that the Health Ministry only publicly identified large Covid-19 infection clusters and that there are about 25 major clusters or sub-clusters in total.

He said 40 percent of Covid-19 patients belong to the Seri Petaling cluster.

"We won't announce the smaller clusters, but we will be conductive active case testing.

"There are also 69 sporadic cases," he said.

He explained that sporadic cases meant that the source of infection could not be identified.

However, he said the movement control order (MCO) has helped stop the exponential rise in the number of new infections. - Mkini