PETALING JAYA: A new Covid-19 cluster has been detected at a police lock-up in Lahad Datu, Sabah, with seven positive cases detected so far.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the positive cases in the “Benteng LD” cluster involved six undocumented immigrants and one Malaysian.

The cluster was detected as a result of the screening of detainees at the lock-up.

Dr Noor Hisham said that a total of 50 people had been screened for the disease at the Lahad Datu district police headquarters lock-up, with 43 testing negative so far.

The seven who tested positive did not display any symptoms of illness and have been transferred to the Lahad Datu hospital.

Dr Noor Hisham said that cleaning and disinfection exercises have been carried out at identified locations.

“Active case detection and the screening of close contacts are still being carried out. The source of the infection is being investigated, ” he said in a press conference on Tuesday (Sept 1).

Dr Noor Hisham also said there was one new Covid-19 case detected in the Tawar cluster and the Telaga cluster, respectively, both in Kedah.

A total of 75 cases have been detected in the Tawar cluster, the biggest active cluster of Covid-19 cases in the country, while six cases have been detected in the Telaga cluster.