KOTA KINABALU: A new Covid-19 cluster involving returnees from a Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia has been detected in Sandakan, Sabah on Wednesday (Dec 22).

       The Millenium Saudi cluster has so far seen 11 people infected and undergoing quarantine as well as treatment.

       The minister overseeing Covid-19 matters in Sabah, Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, said the cluster started from a man who tested positive for the virus when his swab test results came in on Friday (Dec 17).

       “This man had undergone the PCR swab test at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport arrival hall before he continued home to Sandakan on a domestic flight,” he said.

       “He later underwent mandatory home quarantine in Sandakan. On Dec 17, his results came back positive,” he said.

       Further contact tracing on the pilgrim group and their close contacts found 10 more people testing positive, Masidi said when announcing the daily Covid-19 cases for Sabah.

       The state recorded a slight increase in cases at 202 on Tuesday (Dec 21), 46 more than on Monday (Dec 20).

       A total of 197 patients are under Categories 1 (asymptomatic) and 2 (mild symptoms) of the virus.