We can't believe we have to spell this out, but please don't go visiting people who've been quarantined.

In case you're not clear, the meaning of the word 'quarantine' means "a strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease", according to dictionary.com.

A person who is quarantined is not supposed to be meeting anybody, least of all relatives from another state.

If you're wondering why we felt that we had to explain such a simple concept, it's because a COVID-19 cluster called the 'Bah Puchong' cluster stemmed from a group of genius people who visited a relative who was in quarantine.

Started from Sabah

On 7 October, Health Director General Datuk Seri Noor Hisham Abdullah announced two new clusters, one of which was the Bah Puchong cluster.



"This new cluster has been identified in the Petaling District, Selangor, and the Larut, Matang and Selama District and Kinta District, Perak.

"The index cases for this cluster (Cases 13,061, 13,065 and 13,069) were detected positive for COVID-19 on 5 October 2020 as a result of screening of returnees from high risk areas (Sabah).

"All three cases were admitted into Sungai Buloh Hospital. Subsequently, screening of close contacts was done and two (2) additional confirmed COVID-19 cases were detected in the Larut, Matang and Selama District and Kinta District.

"They were admitted into Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital, Perak," the health DG said.

As the COVID-19 cases in the cluster were recorded in several cases, the people have raised concerns over the spread of the virus across states.

So far, 39 people have been tested in Selangor and Perak in relation the case, with five people confirmed positive and 24 others awaiting results.

Should you be worried?

Kinrara state assemblyman and Selangor exco member Ng Sze Han assured the public that they don't have to worry that the spread of the virus has gone out of hand just because cases were found in two states under one cluster.

Cluster Bah Puchong doesn't mean that Puchong has serious Covid19 outbreak. This cluster is named "Bah Puchong" cos someone who lives in Puchong came back fr Sabah. He was on home quarantine, but his relatives in perak visited him and stayed with him and they too became positive pic.twitter.com/Ru3z5qhJTR

— Ng Sze Han ??? (@ngszehan) October 7, 2020

He explained that the cluster is named 'Bah Puchong' because it involved someone who lives in Puchong, came back from Sabah and was found positive for COVID-19.

Unfortunately, neither the person nor his relatives seemed to understand what quarantine means (or just didn't care).

The relatives visited the person in Puchong and brought back the virus to their homes in Perak.


KKM is in the process of screening everyone who has come into contact with those tested positive, so don't worry. They have it under control.

That doesn't mean you should wonder out of your homes unnecessarily, refrain from wearing masks or just don't sanitise.

Follow all the recommended SOPs ALL THE TIME.

After 10 months, we are all more than used to the steps that we have to take to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spread. Let's not get complacent.

Together, we can beat this pandemic.