New COVID-19 sub-cluster in Rembau infected 27 people, two of them in ICU

KUALA LUMPUR (April 8): The Ministry of Health (MoH) said a COVID-19 sub-cluster has been detected in Rembau district in Negeri Sembilan and is related to the tabligh assembly at the Sri Petaling mosque.

So far, MoH has detected 27 positive cases from the sub-cluster, of which two are currently being treated in intensive care units (ICU).

The sub-cluster, according to MoH, has developed into a third generation of infections.

MoH director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (pictured) said the cluster involved the staff of a school and the virus was then transmitted to a few localities in Rembau — Pedas, Pilin, Kundur and Batu Hampar.

"This cluster was first detected when the COVID-19 test results came out positive for some teachers in a school. The transmission is believed to have occurred during a meeting held at the school where it was attended by an index case (448th case), who was one of the participants at the Sri Petaling tabligh assembly," he told a press conference.

The teachers and the staff of the school subsequently infected their families and fellow villagers, said Noor Hisham.

"Investigations also found that there were instances of visiting sick family members and relatives, although the country was under the Movement Control Order (MCO)," he added.

The cluster of infections related to the tabligh assembly at the Sri Petaling mosque between Feb 27 and March 1 is so far the largest detected by the MoH, accounting for more than 40% of the country's total number of positive cases.

The ministry reported 156 new COVID-19 positive cases today, bringing the tally to 4,119. Two new deaths were reported today, raising the death toll in the country to 65.

However, 166 patients recovered today, more than double yesterday’s figure of 80, which brings the total number of recovered cases to 1,487 or 36.1% of the total cases in the country.

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