14,500 M'sians at 'tabligh' gathering, 40 test positive for Covid-19

KUALA LUMPUR — The Health Ministry revealed that about 16,000 people attended the four-day ‘Ijtima Tabligh’ (religious) gathering at Masjid Jamek Sri Petaling, and not 10,000 people as previously estimated.

Of this, 14,500 of them were Malaysians, while the rest were international participants.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah revealed this latest figures in an infographic uploaded on his Facebook page yesterday.

He described the tracing and identification process of attendees of the gathering as a “mammoth and daunting task”

“Our teams are on site working round the clock conducting the Mass Screening of Covid-19 at Masjid Jamek Seri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur last two days.

“We have full cooperation from all parties namely the participants, staff and students. Our health officers from Lembah Pantai are supported by staff deployed from other states to trace and track all the participants.

“It’s indeed a mammoth and daunting task, however we need to prepare to share the responsibility as everyone can help to protect themselves and their communities,” he wrote.

Dr Noor Hisham said to date, 40 of the Malaysian attendees have tested positive for Covid-19.

Of the 40 cases, four were reported in Negri Sembilan, four in Johor, two in Pahang, 15 in Sabah, three in Kelantan, two in Perak, five in Penang, one in Perlis, two in Kedah and two in Labuan.

Sharing an update on the recent cluster infection, he tweeted: “The ministry continues to detect, isolate and treat this cluster. Indeed it’s a mammoth task and we hope for the best.”

Brunei and Singapore have also recorded Covid-19 cases traced to the gathering, held from Feb 28 to March 1.

The health ministry had earlier this week estimated that only some 5,000 Malaysians were at the gathering.

As of Friday, Malaysia has recorded 197 Covid-19 cases.

Singapore authorities said that at least 82 Singaporeans had been at the gathering and among them, two had tested positive for the virus.

Mosques across Singapore were closed for at least five days from Friday for thorough disinfection and this week's Friday prayers were cancelled. NEW STRAITS TIMES