The said clusters are Kau Sing and Embun clusters in Sabah and Selangor respectively, says health DG

by RAHIMI YUNUS / pic by BERNAMA

TWO new Covid-19 clusters have been identified in the country — one each in Sabah and Selangor — as the new wave of infection continues contributing to three-digit daily cases.

Health DG Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the two new clusters emerged are Kau Sing and Embun clusters in Sabah and Selangor respectively.

The Kau Sing cluster involved a 29-year-old Malaysian man who tested Covid-19 positive through symptomatic individual screening on Sept 25 and he was admitted to Tawau Hospital.

Six other cases were found positive following a close contact-tracing screening.

The Embun cluster was identified in Hulu Langat, Selangor, involving a 41-year-old local man who tested positive through symptomatic individual screening on Sept 29. The patient has been admitted to Sungai Buloh Hospital.

Four other cases have been identified as a result of close contact-tracing screenings in the cluster.

Malaysia recorded 293 new cases yesterday, which added to a total of 12,381 cases.

Dr Noor Hisham said the 293 new cases involved 292 local transmissions and one imported case from Bangladesh.

Of the 293 cases, 126 cases were from Sabah, Kedah (113), Selangor (31), Johor (8), Federal Territory of Labuan (5), Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (2), Negri Sembilan (2), Perak (2) and one each in Penang, Kelantan and Sarawak.

Sixty-seven patients recovered yesterday for a total of 10,283 discharged cases or 83.1% of the total number of cases.

As of yesterday, 28 cases were being treated in the intensive care unit, of which four required ventilators, while no death was recorded, thus fatalities remained at 137 or 1.1% of total cases.

The government will also implement the Targeted Enhanced Movement Control Order (TEMCO) administratively in Alor Setar

Prison area in Kedah, following a spike in cases.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said a 14-day TEMCO will be implemented starting 12.01am tomorrow in the prison area, including staff quarters.

“The TEMCO is implemented to curb the infection and spread of Covid-19 in the area and to allow targeted case-tracing activities to be done. During the period, any movement in and out in this area including visits by detainees’ families are not allowed,” he said in a statement yesterday.

On another matter, Ismail Sabri said 433 individuals were apprehended for violating the Recovery MCO yesterday.

He said 345 of the offenders were compounded, 60 remanded and the remaining individuals were released on bail.

He said the MCO breach offences included 157 cases for not wearing face masks, pub and nightclub activities (126), failing to provide equipment or record of personal particulars (49), physical distancing (46), gambling activities (36), hiring foreign worker without valid permits (18) and illegal immigrants arrest (1).

On Ops Benteng, Ismail Sabri said the authorities apprehended 76 illegal immigrants and a smuggler.

Of that number, he said the First Regiment Royal Armoured Corps of Malaysian Armed Forces nabbed 27 illegal immigrants without valid identification documents who were trying to leave Malaysia through non-gazetted routes around Hotel Tiara, Desaru of Bandar Penawar in Johor.

He added that two smugglers were arrested, while a boat and four land vehicles were seized at 81 roadblocks yesterday.

Ismail Sabri said 101 roadblocks under the Ops Benteng were mounted by the authorities yesterday.

“The government will take firm action against any parties who try to enter the country illegally, and enforcement agencies will continue to tighten control in the border areas especially in illegal routes,” he said.

He said from July 24 until yesterday, 40,607 individuals returned to Malaysia and 9,138 individuals of them were undergoing compulsory quarantine, while 106 people were sent to hospitals for treatment.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said in a Bernama report that the quarantine and treatment centres for lowrisk patients available nationwide are ready to be reactivated if the increase in cases continues.

He said currently, there are 36 of such centres in government hospitals, Health Ministry Training Institutes (ILKKM) and other places which have been gazetted by the National Security Council; among them Malaysia Agro Exposition Park in Serdang, Selangor.

“We are always prepared (to activate the quarantine centres) and renovate places such as the ILKKM.

“If there is a spike in cases, we will reactivate,” he told reporters after the closing of a town hall session on the New Norm to Prevent the Spread of Covid-19 with Communication for Behavioural Impact leaders, in Kota Tinggi, Johor, yesterday.

He said the quarantine centres could provide 3,467 beds and the ministry would discuss with other training institutes on the possibility of using them as additional centres, if the situation warranted it.

Meanwhile, Dr Adham said about 20 million people have registered and used the MySejahtera application with one billion check-ins recorded nationwide.

“Two factors that have enabled us to detect Covid-19 fast are the effectiveness of our team in tracing and readiness of our 58 laboratories, including the private labs, to conduct tests,” he said.