KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — The Covid-19 cluster in Pedas, Negri Sembilan, had originated from Malaysian workers who transmitted the coronavirus to foreign labourers, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said today.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said overcrowded and congested living conditions of foreign workers’ residence was the main factor in the transmission of Covid-19 among foreigners working in the chicken factory in Pedas.
As of today, 316 Covid-19 cases have been reported out of 957 people screened in the Pedas cluster. The positive cases comprise 302 foreigners and 14 Malaysians. Most of the infected foreigners are Nepali (163), followed by Bangladeshis (67), Myanmarese (35), Indonesians (31), Indians (four), Vietnamese (one), and Cambodian (one).
“Following this, workers involved in this cluster have already been isolated in quarantine centres. They have been isolated from the community and do not pose a risk to the public,” Dr Noor Hisham said in a statement.
“Whatever it is, it’s under control because it’s under quarantine; it’s not in the community. We need to isolate and treat them, at least for 14 days. Hopefully we can end this cluster as soon as possible,” he told a press conference.
Twelve out of 15 new Covid-19 cases reported today came from the Pedas cluster. Two of today’s new cases were imported, while one was detected in pre-surgery screening at Selayang Hospital. All 13 local transmission cases today involved foreigners.
No new deaths from Covid-19 were reported today, with the death toll remaining at 121. Twenty-one people recovered from Covid-19 and were discharged from hospital today, with total recoveries in Malaysia numbering 8,177.
Total active infectious cases in Malaysia are 289.
