KOTA BHARU – A total of 23 individuals identified as close contacts of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri in the state have tested negative for COVID-19.
Kelantan State Health Department (JKNK) director Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin said based on preliminary information, 60 individuals were detected to have come into contact with the minister who tested positive for the disease, but only 23 had to undergo screening after the JKNK conducted a risk assessment.
He said among those who underwent the tests since last week were VIPs, members of the secretariat and guests who participated in the programmes attended by Zulkifli while he in the state on Sept 25, including the one organised by Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (YADIM) at the Silver Jubilee Hall near here.
“JKNK will also conduct screenings on 10 other individuals said to have come in close contact with Zulkifli by next week,” he said when contacted by Bernama, today.
On Monday, Zulkifli confirmed that he was COVID-19 positive, and called on those present at the events he had attended from Sept 24 to Oct 4, to undergo screening.
Meanwhile, Dr Zaini said a total of 45,322 individuals had undergone COVID-19 screening tests throughout Kelantan since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was first implemented in March.
He said of the total, 171 individuals were found positive to date, with the latest case recorded on Oct 5, involving a man in his 30s, however, the latter had not come into close contact with Zulkifli.
— BERNAMA
