A 45-YEAR-OLD female employee of a shopping mall in Miri, Sarawak, has been identified as the source of the state’s latest Covid-19 cluster, infecting 50 of her family members, close friends and co-workers.

The Jalan Merpati cluster is the state’s 32nd active cluster. The woman, its index case, tested positive after a Covid-19 test at the Miri hospital on March 7. 

She had sought treatment after feeling ill for four days and showing Covid-19 symptoms.

The Health Department then found 50 infections among her family members, close friends and co-workers through an active case detection (ACD) exercise.

To date, 300 people have been screened, and the number of infection could rise as results are pending.

Those who have symptoms have been warded at the Miri hospital while the low-risk infections are at low-risk quarantine centres.

Of Sarawak’s 32 active clusters, eight reported new cases today.

The Kpg Hilir community cluster in Sibu reported yesterday, has two new cases today to bring the number of infections to 37.

The Tanjung cluster in Bintulu, registered an increase of 15 new cases today, taking its total to 34.

Another cluster that reported 15 new cases is Emperoh Jambu in Kuching. The number of infections in the community cluster now stands at 324.

Over 1,800 people have been screened in the ongoing ADC exercise in the village on the outskirts of Kuching ,with 1,355 found negative and 121 still waiting for their results.

The Jalan Main Bazaar cluster in the rural town of Sri Aman, Kiba in Sibu, and Jalan Muhibbah in Betong all reported one new case each.

The number of infections in the Jalan Main Bazaar cluster currently stands at 15, the Kiba cluster, 39, and Jalan Muhibbah, 318. – March 17, 2021.