COVID-19: Total infected healthcare workers in Malaysia jump over two-thirds in a week to 138

KUALA LUMPUR (April 3): The number of healthcare workers in Malaysia who are confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 has jumped by more than two-thirds in the past week to 138, from 80 recorded as at March 26.

None of their source of infection, however, has been linked to the management or treatment of coronavirus patients, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

Instead, 42% or 58 of those tested positive have been linked to a recent wedding reception, where some of those who attended the tabligh or religious gathering at Masjid Jamek Sri Petaling were also present.

Meanwhile, 10.1% or 14 cases have Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and mild symptoms, but they did not know of or had not made known their status previously. Of this group, two had not revealed that they had attended the tabligh gathering.

According to Dr Noor Hisham, nine cases representing 6.5% of all infected healthcare workers got it from close contact with family members who have contracted the coronavirus, whereas six cases or 4.3% had travelled overseas, while four cases got it from their friends.

Three (2.2%) more were discovered through field screenings, while two (1.4%) had attended the tabligh gathering, Dr Noor Hisham said. The source of infection for the remainder 42 or 30.4% are still being investigated.

He went on to advise frontliners including medical personnel from the private sector and NGOs (non-governmental organisations) to wear face masks when treating patients.

He also urged members of the public who are coming to get treatment to be truthful if they had had close contact with anyone tested positive for COVID-19, had attended any gatherings, or had gone overseas previously.

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