The new cases breach the 3,000 mark for the 1st time in a week, bringing the country’s cumulative cases to 283,569

by HARIZAH KAMEL / Pic by BERNAMA

MALAYSIA reported 3,297 new Covid-19 cases yesterday with Perak recording the highest number at 1,215 cases, followed by Selangor with 868 cases and Johor with 431 cases.

Health DG Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the sharp increase in cases is due to active detection of the Jalan Changkat Jong cluster involving workers at the factory located in Teluk Intan, Perak.

The cluster was announced on Feb 18 this year and was identified as a result of targeted screening at work.

“Yesterday alone, 1,046 new cases from the cluster were reported, namely 1,036 factory workers and 10 close family contacts. The total number of cases in the cluster as of Feb 21 is 1,242 cases.

“Of the 1,046 new positive cases in the cluster, 1,036 cases were employees, namely 1,029 non-citizens and seven citizens, where the latter caused 10 more transmissions via close contact between families,” he said in a statement.

Of the new nationwide cases, 3,291 were local transmissions, while six were imported cases, bringing the country’s cumulative cases to 283,569.

There are currently 33,304 active cases, of which 209 patients are in intensive care units, while 91 required respiratory aid.

There was yet another high number of recoveries yesterday at 4,456, bringing the total to 249,209.

However, five deaths due to Covid-19 were reported, bringing the country’s death toll to 1,056.

Separately, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (picture) said the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) will be implemented at the Central Medicare dormitory, factory and construction site in Hilir Perak, Perak, from today to March 7, 2021.

Meanwhile, the EMCO enforced on the Taiping Prison and Staff Quarters in Taiping, Perak, will end today as scheduled.

On MCO violations, Ismail Sabri said 493 individuals were arrested for flaunting the standard operating procedures on Saturday, of which 484 were compounded while another nine individuals were remanded.

The highest offences were crossing state and district lines under MCO without permission (133), failure to maintain physical distancing (132) and premises failing to collect customer details (117).