24 July 2020
Three new Covid-19 clusters have emerged involving index cases of Malaysians returning from abroad, and a foreigner entering the country for work.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the foreigner, who is Case 8,839, was a shipping crew member and the index case for the Covid-19 cluster identified as the “Elsa Cluster”.
In a statement today, Dr Noor Hisham said the patient had flown from the Philippines and went through transit in South Korea before arriving in Malaysia on July 16 to resume work.
“The patient tested negative for the virus when he underwent screening in the Philippines on July 14.
“The patient later flew to Kuantan and stayed at a hotel for a night there, before undergoing quarantine on a ship after receiving approval from the Maritime Department.
“On July 20, the patient started developing symptoms (related to Covid-19) and subsequently tested positive for Covid-19. The patient was then admitted to the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital in Pahang for treatment.”
He said three out of 108 people who were close contacts of the patient tested positive for Covid-19. The three confirmed cases comprise two foreigners and a Malaysian.
“The ministry is still awaiting results for 57 people (from the same close contact group), while the rest tested negative for the virus.”
He said the remaining clusters detected by the ministry over the past 24 hours involve patients under investigation (PUI) from the PUI Ramnad Cluster and the PUI Al Khobar Cluster.
The index case for the PUI Ramnad Cluster, who is Case 8,817 patient, is a Malaysian who returned from India.
Dr Noor Hisham said the patient initially tested negative for Covid-19 at the entry point of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on July 19, and was subsequently placed under House Surveillance Order (HSO).
The patient, however, started developing mild symptoms related to Covid-19 before testing positive for the virus on the 13th day of the HSO. The patient was later admitted to the Sungai Buloh Hospital for treatment.
“Eighteen people comprising 12 flight crew members, and six family members of the patient were tested for Covid-19… two of them were confirmed with the virus.
“The results for 13 others were negative and the ministry is still waiting for test results for three of the close contacts of the patient (Case 8,817),” he said.
Meanwhile, the index case for the PUI Al Khobar Cluster is a Malaysian who returned from Saudi Arabia. The patient also tested negative for the virus upon arrival at KLIA.
Dr Noor Hisham said the patient, identified as Case 8,803, was placed under HSO together with five family members, who had also returned from Saudi Arabia.
“The patient started displaying symptoms related to the virus on July 18 and tested positive of Covid-19 two days later.
“Covid-19 screening conducted on seven family members of the patient found one of them to be positive, with the rest testing negative.”
Source: nst.com.my
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