A TOTAL of 128 Covid-19 cases from the record high of 287 recorded today were from the Tembok cluster, which involves a prison in Kedah, said Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said infections in this cluster occurred and spread inside the prison centre in Kota Setar, with the index case being a prison staff who died last Wednesday.

“This happened in a confined area. Not a public area. The index case passed away last Wednesday and he was one of the men who was manning the facility.

“Three others were later infected. Once we detect, it is our duty to screen and the screening is like what we did at the Bukit Jalil depot,” he said.

On the source of the infection, Dr Noor Hisham said it was most likely that the index patient had brought the virus into the facility.

“We are still investigating but, most likely, it was brought into the prison.

“That is why we need to make sure that in an immigration depot or prison, there must be minimal contact with outsiders or even with the staff working at the facility,” he said.

Dr Noor Hisham said that all the 287 cases reported today were local transmissions, with no import cases.

Of these, 20 were those who had returned from Sabah.

He also said that there were 81 recoveries reported as of noon today, bringing the overall total of recoveries to 10,095.

Twenty-two patients are still being treated in intensive care units, with four needing breathing assistance. No new deaths have been reported, with the overall death toll remaining at 136. – October 2, 2020.