KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has detected a new Covid-19 cluster in Sarawak involving an engineering firm in the state capital of Kuching.
Its director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said as of noon today, two confirmed cases had been identified and linked to this new cluster dubbed as the Kuching engineering cluster.
"The index case of this new cluster (case-8,694) was an employee at the company who sought treatment at a medical centre on July 9 when he experienced breathing difficulties.
"He was tested positive for the virus on the same day," he said in a statement today.
Dr Noor Hisham said following the detection of the case, the ministry conducted investigations and screening activities of close contacts.
To date, he said, 32 close contacts had been identified and screened.
"They involve 16 colleagues and 16 family members. One of them tested positive, 16 returned negative and 15 are awaiting results.
"Precautionary measures such as cleaning and disinfection of the premises have been conducted."
He added that the cause of this infection was still under investigation.