KUALA LUMPUR: 41 tahfiz students from Madrasah Miftahul Ulum, Sri Petaling, have made a full recovery from Covid-19 and discharged from Canselor Tuanku Mukhriz Hospital (HCTM) today.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the students, who were linked to the tabligh cluster, were quarantined at the Social Institute of Malaysia and admitted to HCTM on April 2.
He said the male students, aged between 14 and 29, were exposed to Covid-19 virus by attending the tabligh gathering in Sri Petaling in early March or the mosque’s surrounding soon after.
“None of them showed any symptoms and two swab tests in mid-March and March 24 came out negative. They were being quarantined at the Social Institute of Malaysia and on April 2; third swab tests taken on March 30 turned out positive,” he said on a post on his Facebook page today.
He said the students were then admitted to HCTM for further treatment, with only one of them having cough symptom on April 5 and was given Hydrochloroquine treatment.
“In the medical aspect, screenings and early treatment are crucial in ensuring Covid-19 patients have a chance to recover fully.
"This group of students comprised youth, hence recovery and prognosis were better than elderly patients or those with chronic diseases like hypertension or diabetes.
“Nevertheless, it is important for patients to seek treatment while in stage 1 to 3. In terms of control measures, early quarantine and isolation for the 41 students were also a crucial step,” he said.
In the case of the 41 students, Dr Noor Hisham said the patients were asymptomatic but could still spread the virus to others without realising they had been infected.
Hence, he said the detection, quarantine, isolation and early treatment were the right process to assist recovery, while containing the spread and breaking the chain of Covid-19 infection, citing patient management of the tahfiz students.
HCTM is a facility that handles Covid-19.