KUCHING, Feb 13 — A new Covid-19 cluster in Sarawak involving an institution under the Ministry of Education has been detected, according to the State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN).

In a statement, it said the Jalan Kolej Cluster involved trainees and their social contacts at a hostel of the educational institution located in jalan Kolej, Kuching.

This cluster was detected when four of the trainees who were having the symptoms had Covid-19 screening at a health facility on February 7.

"These index cases also have a history of returning to their respective states in Peninsular Malaysia for their break and returned to the institution here on February 5.

"The infection is believed to have originated from the close contacts of the positive cases and social interaction among the trainees and their close contacts,” JPBN said.

A total of 52 individuals in this cluster have been screened with 26 of them found to be positive for the viral infection including the index cases.

Sarawak today recorded 201 new Covid-19 cases. — Bernama