[ad_1]
PETALING JAYA: The Ministry of Health reported 45 new Covid-19 infections today, 40 of them from the Benteng group in Sabah.
This pushes the total number of cases in Malaysia to 9,628.
At present there are a total of 170 positive cases in the Benteng group, 83 in Tawau and 87 in Lahad Datu.
Benteng’s group was detected on September 2 after 50 undocumented immigrants were detained during multi-agency monitoring of the smuggling routes used by illegal immigrants under Ops Benteng.
Subsequent testing for Covid-19 at Lahad Datu Police Headquarters yielded seven positive results, and the infection later spread to Tawau Prison, some 150 kilometers away.
At a press conference today, Chief Health Officer Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah said that although the two index cases showed no symptoms and their detection at Lahad Datu police headquarters came back negative, the lack of physical distancing when they were arrested it meant the spread of infection. quickly.
“Our SOPs state that if we can, we have to separate the old detainees from the new ones,” he said.
“Although the tests (in the index cases) were negative, we should not mix the old and new detainees.
“The incubation period (for Covid-19) is 14 days. So we have to make sure we don’t mix old and new cases, ”he added.
The other positive cases today were related to the Telaga group (two), the Sungai group (one) and one case detected at the Simpang Kuala health center, all in Kedah.
The Telaga group now has 13 cases in total, while the Sungai group has 39 cases.
Both groups involved healthcare workers and Noor Hisham said the ministry was studying the genomic sequence of the groups to see if they are linked.
The other positive case today was that of a Malaysian who returned from Brazil.
There are currently 333 active cases in the country, nine of which are being treated in intensive care units and five require respiratory assistance.
Twenty-four patients were discharged in the last 24 hours, with a total of 9,167 recoveries to date.
Today there were no deaths, and the death toll remained at 128.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR LIVE UPDATE ON THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA
