Covid-19: 138 health workers test positive, none linked to patients

PUTRAJAYA: A total of 138 Ministry of Health (MOH) healthcare workers have tested positive for Covid-19 as at noon yesterday, according to Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

However, he stressed that none of them was infected due to the handling of patients at Covid-19 wards or intensive care units (ICU) at the ministry’s healthcare facilities.

“Fifty-eight of the cases (42%) were linked to wedding receptions attended by individuals who also attended the tabligh gathering in Sri Petaling,” he told the daily media conference on Covid-19 here today.

Dr Noor Hisham said 14 cases (10.1%) were linked to Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) patients who were symptomatic but were not aware or did not inform the healthcare workers of their status.

“Two cases did not inform that they had attended the tabligh gathering in Sri Petaling,” he added.

Dr Noor Hisham said nine cases were related to contact with family members who tested positive, six cases had a history of travelling abroad, four cases had contact with Covid-19 positive friends, and three cases were due to exposure during health screenings.

“The sources of infection for the remaining 42 cases are still being investigated,” he added.

He said all healthcare professionals and frontliners, including private medical practitioners and non-governmental organisations, who were involved in treating Covid-19 patients need to use the face masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as take other precautionary measures to avoid infection, especially when carrying out clinical procedures.

“The MOH also calls on the people who come for treatment to honestly give the necessary information about any close contact they had with Covid-19 positive cases, their attendance at any mass gathering and their overseas trips,” he added.

Earlier today, Dr Noor Hisham said 217 new positive Covid-19 cases were reported as of noon today, bringing the total number of cases in Malaysia to 3,333.

Of this number, 58 were connected to the tabligh assembly cluster in Masjid Seri Petaling.

He added that the total number of deaths also increased to 53, with three new cases today. – April 34, 2020, Bernama

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