KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — Malaysia has recorded 10,031 Covid-19 cases, as 62 new daily infections were reported today, mostly from Sabah.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 59 new coronavirus cases in Sabah, including 48 in Lahad Datu from the Benteng LD cluster, as well as 10 community cases in the state whose sources of transmission are unknown.
Four Covid-19 cases turned up in a screening of health care workers in Lahad Datu Hospital, two were detected in a screening at Lahad Datu Klinik Kesihatan, three were found at the international gates of Sabah after departing from peninsular Malaysia, and one coronavirus case was detected at a screening in Sandakan prison. MOH previously reported two Covid-19 cases among detainees at the Kudat district police headquarters on September 13 and 14.
A total of 472 positive Covid-19 cases have been reported so far in the Benteng LD cluster, comprising 331 in Tawau and 141 in Lahad Datu. The majority, 429 cases, were found among prisoners and detainees, while 23 were social contacts. This cluster — which originated from the Lahad Datu district police headquarters and spread to Tawau prison — has recorded three generations of spread, meaning one person infecting another, who then passes the virus to someone else.
Ten staff of the Lahad Datu district police headquarters and Tawau prison from the Benteng LD cluster have tested positive for coronavirus, as well as 10 family members of staff, prisoners, and detainees. About 55 per cent, or 258 patients, of the 472 Covid-19 cases are foreigners (Filipinos and Indonesians), while the remaining 214 patients are Malaysian.
One more Covid-19 case came from the Pulau cluster in Kunak, Sabah, involving a foreigner. The index case of the cluster, whose source of transmission is still known, was a Malaysian, who infected eight of her Malaysian family members. Total positive coronavirus cases in this cluster now number at 10.
Sabah has now confirmed 937 Covid-19 cases in total, the state with the fourth highest number of cumulative infections, behind Kuala Lumpur in first place with 2,625 cases, Selangor (2,199), and Negri Sembilan (1,043). In the past 14 days, Sabah has reported locally transmitted coronavirus cases below 40 in Kunak (12), Kudat (four), and one each in Sandakan, Tuaran, and Semporna. All of these are classified yellow zones. Tawau and Lahad Datu are red with 335 and 147 cases respectively.
The Sungai cluster reported one new Covid-19 case in Kedah today, leading to a total of 59 cases (58 in Kedah and one in Perlis) in this cluster that originated from a private hospital in Alor Setar. Twenty of 711 health care workers screened have tested positive for Covid-19.
One new Covid-19 case was reported in Penang, a close contact and family member of Patient 9,397 and Patient 9,459, all of whom stayed in the same house. One imported case was also reported — a Malaysian who returned from India.
Younger People With Chronic Diseases In ICU
MOH reported that 15 coronavirus patients, all Malaysians, are currently in the intensive care unit (ICU), including three on ventilator support.
Six coronavirus patients in ICU are aged 60 and above, whereas nine are aged 21 to 56. Nine Covid-19 patients in intensive care are from the Sungai cluster. Ten patients have a history of chronic disease.
“The elderly are among the vulnerable populations to Covid-19 infection, but younger people with chronic diseases also suffer from serious symptoms, disease, and complications that require admission to the intensive care unit for close monitoring,” Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement.
“If this situation continues, the country’s health facilities will have to bear a heavy burden again. Therefore, to avoid such a situation, each individual from every layer of society must play their roles and comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and advice issued by the government.”
