THE Benteng Lahad Datu (Benteng LD) cluster in Sabah accounted for most of the 62 new Covid-19 cases in the country today, reporting 50 infections in the past 24 hours.

Director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the total number of infections in the cluster is now 66.

The index cases of the cluster detected were two undocumented migrants who were held in the Lahad Datu District Police lockup on August 24.

The two were screened and tested positive for Covid-19 on August 31 and were admitted to the Lahad Datu Hospital.

Noor Hisham said risk analysis showed that confined and cramped spaces as well as the lack of physical distancing among inmates caused the spike of new cases.

He said 1,404 people have been screened within the span of a week, adding that active case detection and contact tracing were also conducted.

Of the 66 cases, 64 were inmates.

One case involved a prison officer while the other was a relative of the infected officer.

A total of 631 inmates, 98 prison staff and 157 family members of staff and prisoners have been screened.

In addition to that, 78 police officers and 440 officers from other government agencies were also screened.

“Of the positive Covid-19 cases, 30 (45.5%) were citizens, whereas 36 (54.5%) were non-citizens,” Noor Hisham said.

The cluster has also spread across two districts, namely Lahad Datu and Tawau.

A total of 420 people were screened in Lahad Datu, whereby 50 were positive while 337 were negative. The remaining 33 were waiting for their results.

Meanwhile, 984 people were screened in Tawau with 16 positive cases.

A total of 230 people were negative while 738 are awaiting their test results.

Noor Hisham again stressed on the need to comply with standard operating procedures at all times and places. – September 7, 2020.