MOH identifies 4 new sub-clusters at madrasah and tahfiz schools

PUTRAJAYA, April 12 -- The Ministry of Health has identified four COVID-19 new sub-clusters at several madrasahs (religious schools) and tahfiz schools that were related to the Sri Petaling tabligh gathering.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the sub-clusters are madrasah in Jerantut, Pahang; madrasah in Penanti, Penang; madrasah in Sungai Lui (Selangor) and madrasah in Jasin (Melaka).

“Through close cooperation with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and Sri Petaling Mosque Tabligh committee, MOH has identified the latest list of madrasah and tahfiz schools to help in detecting close contacts of the index cases from the Sri Petaling gathering,” he said at the COVID-19 daily media briefing here today. 

Following are the details of the sub-clusters:

1. Madrasah in Jerantut, Pahang:

• Number of people screened: 401
• 297 are students and the remaining are staff and their families.
• Number of positive cases: 62 (admitted to the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, Kuantan)
• Number of recovered/discharged: 20 cases

       2. Madrasah in Penanti, Penang:

• Number of people screened: 291
• 256 are students and the remaining are staff
• Number of positive cases: 6 (2 still being treated at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Alor Setar, Kedah).
• Number of recovered/discharged: 4

      3. Madrasah in Sungai Lui, Selangor:

• Number of people screened: 282  
• 274 are students and another eight are staff
• Number of positive cases: 90 (admitted to the Sungai Buloh Hospital and the National Leprosy Control Centre)
• Number of recovered/discharged: 67 

       4. Madrasah in Jasin, Melaka:

• Number of people screened: 137 
• ​​​122 are students and the remaining are staff
• Number of positive cases: 37 (admitted to the Melaka Hospital)
• Number of recovered/discharged: 1 case

Dr Noor Hisham also said MOH would continue to cooperate with various agencies to identify and test all close contacts of the high-risk groups.

He also called on communities not to point fingers or discriminate against patients and those who were linked to COVID-19 clusters.

“The most important thing is for us to help detect and treat those infected with the virus,” he said.

-- BERNAMA