One new Covid-19 cluster in Sabah

The source was an illegal immigrant who had been sent home to the Philippines but re-entered the state to visit his sick wife in hospital.

PETALING JAYA: The health ministry has identified a new cluster, called “Kluster Laut”, involving undocumented migrants at a temporary detention centre in Kunak, Sabah.

Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the index case for the cluster, case 9,859, is a detainee at the temporary detention centre at Tawau.

He was sent back to Zamboanga, Philippines, last Aug 27.

“However, last Sept 5, he entered Sabah from Zamboanga through a ‘rat lane’ (smuggling route) to visit his wife.

“The wife (case 9,860) was found positive with Covid-19 last Sept 8 during a screening at Tawau Hospital. She had been referred from the Kunak Hospital after suffering from complications during delivery.”

She first experienced symptoms on Sept 6.

From active case detection and close contact screenings, two more positive cases were traced — the neighbour and a child.

As of Sept 12, 49 people from the cluster were screened. All involved Philippine nationals.

Four were positive, 14 were negative and 31 individuals are still waiting for results. - FMT