KUALA LUMPUR (June 17): The Ministry of Health (MoH) has detected a new cluster in Sabah, named MDR (mati di rumah, or died at home), with three confirmed infections related to the 120th fatality (patient No. 8,403).

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the first (index) case of this cluster was a senior citizen who died at home on June 12 due to complications from heart disease.

The deceased was sent to the forensics department of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where a Covid-19 test conducted on the remains yielded a positive result.

Noor Hisham said the deceased had also undergone treatment for heart disease in the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital.

The source of infection was still under investigation.

He added that a screening of the deceased’s close contacts revealed that two staff members of the ward were positive for Covid-19.

Up until noon today, 63 individuals had undergone the screening, including 21 health workers, two patients in the ward, and 40 people among the deceased’s family members and friends.

The ministry had taken some preventive measures such as disinfection and decontamination of areas exposed to Covid-19, including the ward and the deceased’s house.

Noor Hisham further noted that the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital was still operating as usual.

Meanwhile, in the old folks’ home cluster in Kuala Selangor, which was reported by the MoH on Monday, 64 people had been screened as of noon today.

The screening involved 12 staff members at the old folks’ home, 24 residents, 10 family members, 13 health workers and five members of the public.

Seven positive cases were detected, while 43 tested negative, whereas 14 were waiting for results.

Noor Hisham said the old folks’ home was still operating as usual and its residents had been quarantined.

He added that the ministry was always monitoring the residents’ health status, and those with symptoms would be admitted to hospital for further treatment.

Malaysia recorded 10 new locally transmitted cases today, bringing total cumulative cases in the country to 8,515.

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