KUALA LUMPUR – The Covid-19 cases among workers at the Shah Alam Ideal Convention Centre (IDCC) vaccination site have been classified as a cluster, said Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah yesterday.
Known as the Jalan Pahat 15 cluster, he said it saw another 104 infections on top of the 204 staff who tested positive on Saturday.
The cluster, involving Petaling district, has seen a total of 463 individuals screened, with 259 testing negative and 100 awaiting their results.
Those who tested positive are all Malaysians.
“The source of the outbreak is still being investigated,” said Dr Noor Hisham.
On Tuesday, National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin said vaccine recipients who were at the IDCC vaccination centre (PPV) between 4pm last Friday and Monday are advised to self-quarantine for 10 days.
He told a press conference that 204 IDCC staff tested positive for Covid-19 in a mass screening conducted after two workers were confirmed down with the virus.
“The RT-PCR test results showed that the 204 staff members who are positive have a CT (cycle threshold) value of more than 35, where they have a low viral load.
“We found that the exposure could have happened on July 9. As a precaution, CITF (Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force) advises those who presented themselves for vaccination at IDCC on July 9 from 4pm onwards to self-quarantine and monitor themselves for symptoms for 10 days.
“The symptoms are different from post-vaccination side effects. Covid-19 symptoms should not be confused with vaccination side effects, for instance, cough and the loss of sense of smell and taste.”
The CT value is a number that comes up during a real-time RT-PCR test and can be used as an estimate of transmission potential.
Individuals with a low CT value – meaning a high viral load – are deemed more infectious, while those with a high CT value may comprise recovered individuals who are no longer infectious.
“I have instructed all IDCC staff members from the previous batch to be isolated and switched with a new task force as a precaution, so that the Covid-19 transmission potential can be reduced,” said Khairy.
“I have also instructed NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) to conduct ventilation quality monitoring at the PPV.”
He said of the centre’s total 453 staff, 88%, or 400 individuals, have been vaccinated.
On the remaining 53 yet to get the jab before starting their duties at the PPV, he said there is a possibility they are from the new rotation of employees.
“Sometimes, there are staff members from the new rotation who have not been vaccinated, but usually, they will be jabbed in their first week of duty.” – The Vibes, July 16, 2021
