MELAKA – The spike and emergence of several new Covid-19 clusters in Melaka over the past few days is believed to be due Hari Raya visits, said state Health and Anti-Drugs Committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman.
Rahmad said those who tested positive for Covid-19 admitted they had visited their relatives and other family members, even though they were prohibited from doing so.
“It is true some of the new clusters were due to non-compliance of the standard operating procedures. Secretly, these people have been out visiting their family members and some have travelled across district and state lines. This has contributed to the surge in cases,” he told Bernama today.
Yesterday, the media reported that Melaka had recorded 212 cases, its highest daily Covid-19 tally, with four fatalities.
Rahmad said one of the new clusters, believed to be due to Raya visiting as reported yesterday, is the Batu Lapan Bukit Rambai cluster , in which the index case is an elderly man aged 70.
As of yesterday, a total of 28 close contacts were screened and 12 were tested positive, he added.
Meanwhile, Kelantan Health Department director Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin said the spread of Covid-19 infection in the Tumpat and Sg Pinang sub-districts is believed to be due to Hari Raya activities.
He said a woman in her 30s who lives in Bunut Susu sub-district, Pasir Mas, and happened to be a close contact of a confirmed case, had returned to Kg Teluk Renjuna to celebrate Aidilfitri.
Zaini said the department received information on her whereabouts from the Pasir Mas district health office on May 11, and she was confirmed positive on May 13.
“We cannot determine if the woman had visited other places, or who else had visited her at her house, so now many people are involved,” he told Bernama when contacted today. – Bernama, May 21, 2021
