Patient 1,580 Visited Italy, Linked To Five Covid-19 Deaths, Infected 37

The Sarawak cluster included a family of three adults who perished from coronavirus.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 — Patient 1,580 who travelled to Italy was linked to a cluster of 37 coronavirus infections in Kuching, Sarawak, including five fatalities that comprised a family of three, health authorities said.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the five victims linked to index case Patient 1,580 were Patient 1,031, Patient 1,032, Patient 1,006, Patient 2,850, and Patient 2,210.

Patient 1,006 was a 49-year-old Malaysian man from Sarawak, the son of Patient 1,031, a 79-year-old Malaysian woman who succumbed to the disease. Patient 1,006’s younger sister, 40-year-old Patient 1,032, had also died from coronavirus.

Patient 2,850 was a 56-year-old Malaysian man, also from Sarawak, who died from coronavirus after getting into close contact with Patient 1,031. Patient 2,210, whose death was reported today, was a 72-year-old Malaysian man who had a history of close contact with Patient 1,031 and had been treated in Sarawak General Hospital.

Dr Noor Hisham also said the cluster linked to Patient 1,580 included one critical case who was currently on ventilator support.

“This cluster has involved infections up to the third generation,” he said, referring to a person who infects someone, who then infects another.

“The first case was discharged from the ward even though they were positive, but because serology was used, the result was negative. When it’s negative, we discharge patients. The patient went home and infected a family. One case alone can infect up to 37 people. This caused deaths.”

Italy is among the worst-hit countries in the world, reporting over 124,000 confirmed coronavirus cases as of today, and over 15,000 deaths.

A total of 179 new Covid-19 infections were reported today, leading to a total of 3,662 confirmed coronavirus cases in Malaysia. Four new fatalities were reported, with the total Covid-19 victims in Malaysia numbering 61.

A total of 99 Covid-19 patients are treated in the intensive care unit (ICU), out of which 48 are on ventilator support.

Dr Noor Hisham also pointed out that 180 countries worldwide have been hit by Covid-19 as of today, stressing the risk of Malaysians acquiring their coronavirus infections from outside the country and importing them here.

According to him, 1,140 quarantine stations nationwide have been gazetted, while more than 4,000 people have been quarantined at 71 centres.

“Before this, we used to quarantine people at home. Now we quarantine them at quarantine centres or hotels for 14 days.”

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