New COVID-19 Cluster In Kedah Caused By Home Quarantine Rule-Breaker
Malaysia recorded the highest spike in over a month with 39 new cases yesterday, 28 July.
By May Vin Ang — 29 Jul 2020, 12:43 PM
The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced 39 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, 28 July, the highest spike in over a month
The last time the country recorded a higher number of cases was on 15 June with 41 cases.
In a statement, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said out of the 39, 28 were local transmissions, while 11 were imported cases.
"The imported cases were from Saudi Arabia, Ireland, South Korea, India, Russia, the United States, South America, United Kingdom, and the Philippines," he said.
As for the local transmissions, Dr Noor Hisham said 21 cases were recorded in Sarawak, five cases in Kedah, and two cases in Sabah.
Two new clusters have emerged - the Sivaganga persons under investigation (PUI) cluster in Kedah and the Satok cluster in Sarawak
According to Bernama, Dr Noor Hisham said the Sivaganga PUI cluster involves a Malaysian permanent resident who returned to the country from India on 13 July and tested negative in his first COVID-19 screening at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
The restaurant owner was supposed to undergo home quarantine for 14 days but was found to have violated the Home Surveillance Order (HSO) to visit his eatery.
He has become the index case to five other COVID-19 infections.
"A repeat screening found the man to be positive for COVID-19 and he has been admitted to the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Kedah," announced the Health D-G.
MOH carried out active case detection and screened 28 of his close contacts thus far. Four restaurant employees and one close family member of the patient tested positive.
Meanwhile, the Satok cluster case was detected following a COVID-19 screening at a market in Kuching
Up until Tuesday, 28 July, the MOH has screened 229 traders who work at the market and found that four tested positive for COVID-19.
Dr Noor Hisham said the four were all asymptomatic but were admitted to Sarawak General Hospital for observation.
He added that the remaining traders tested negative but disinfection and cleaning of the market and its facilities are being carried out.
The Health D-G reported that there were no new fatalities, keeping the coronavirus death toll at 124
However, there are currently 212 active COVID-19 cases within the country, out of the total cumulative of 8,943 positive cases.
Keep practising social distancing and wash your hands often. Watch the latest update on the COVID-19 situation:
The Movement Control Order (MCO) will be reimplemented if the number of new COVID-19 cases exceed three digits:
