Kuala Lumpur: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has continued COVID-19 active case detection and close contact tracing activities involving the Sentosa cluster in Kuching, Sarawak, to curb the spread of virus infection in the state, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said that from July 18 until yesterday, the MOH had tracked down 680 individuals who were contacts of the cluster and 21 tested positive, 587 tested negative while 72 were still waiting for results.

“Of the 21 positive cases, 16 were among MOH personnel, two were members of support services from the company that manages the facilities at the hospital, one was a patient and two others are close contacts or family members of the positive cases,” he said during the Ministers’ Questions Time today.

He said this in his reply to a question from Chong Chieng Jen (PH-Stampin) who wanted to know the MOH’s plans to address the spread of COVID-19 cases in Kuching, Sarawak, especially the Sentosa cluster which involved government hospital staff and frontliners.

Chong also wanted to know what additional measures were being taken by the MOH to protect and safeguard the welfare of every health worker, patient and member of the public in the hospital environment and to curb the spread of the COVID-19 infection, as well as assistance to all traders affected by the pandemic.

Dr Adham said one of the preventive measures being implemented by the MOH was that all patients and staff of Sentosa Hospital who tested positive for COVID-19 were being segregated and treated at the Sarawak General Hospital.

“All close contacts of MOH staff and COVID-19 positive patients are being quarantined at the designated quarantine centre and the ministry will also emphasis on COVID-19 prevention and management activities,” he said, adding that the ministry also conducted mental screening tests on all COVID-19 patients and their family members.

The MOH has also mobilised officers from across the state to replace the Sentosa Hospital staff who are being treated and quarantined, he added.

“MOH in Putrajaya is also mobilising a technical advisory team to Sarawak to review and help provide views on the transmission and management of COVID-19 infections there,” he said.

To help the affected traders, Dr Adham said that the ministry had carried out a targeted approach to actively screen and detect cases, including in markets and premises near the Sentosa Hospital.

Meanwhile, Deputy Health Minister II Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said the project to build a health clinic in Kampung Semop, Pulau Bruit, Sarawak, will be re-tendered after it failed to get the contractor, in February 2017 and July 2018, due to reasons, among others, excessive quotations.

However, Aaron said that the third tender on the construction project for the type six health clinic would be advertised in the first week of August and hoped the project to continue to ensure that the people in the area could enjoy the best health facilities, he said.

He said this in his reply to a question from Yusuf Abd Wahab (GPS-Tanjong Manis) who wanted to know when the health clinic would be built because there were no health facilities in the area.