Another Sabah record with 818 cases
Published on: Monday, July 26, 2021
By: Anthea Peter
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah on Sunday recorded another high of 818 new Covid-19 cases, a spike from 712 on Saturday, while two deaths were recorded in Tawau and Papar.Sabah’s Covid-19 spokesperson Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun (pic) said close contacts still accounted for most of the caseload with 364 cases (44.5 per cent).
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“Once again, it needs to be emphasised that Sabahans must strictly abide by the Movement Control Order standard operating procedures (SOPs) to curb rising cases,” he said in a statement, Sunday.
He added that existing clusters contributed 148 cases, 104 cases from targeted screenings and 103 cases from symptomatic screenings.
“80.2 per cent of the caseload are in category one (344 cases) and category two (312 cases),” said Masidi, adding they do not need hospital treatment.
Kota Kinabalu topped the list with 167 cases, of which 88 are close contacts, followed by Penampang with 77 cases, 51 of which are from close contacts.
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Some 537 Covid-19 patients were discharged from the hospital, while 3,486 patients are currently receiving treatment at hospitals and low risk quarantine and treatment centres (PKRCs).
Six new clusters were identified across the State, namely the Jalan Tungku Cluster in Lahad Datu, Gerbang Kauran Cluster in Keningau, Tinabau Cluster in Kinabatangan, Kg Sogo-Sogo Cluser in Tongod, Gipan Kolombong Cluster in Kota Kinabalu and Simpang Tiga Cluster in Ranau.
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In Ranau, the Simpang Tiga Cluster that was sparked within a medical centre in the district saw several infections among frontliners and community members.
Masidi said the index patient is a 29-year-old male health worker in the emergency department who was tested positive on July 18. “Out of 417 contacts screened, 14 were found positive, comprising eight health staff and six same household cases – three of which were in Kg Lembah Permai and Kg Sokid Bundu Tuhan,” said Masidi, adding the source of infection is still being investigated.
The Jalan Tungku Cluster stemmed from a 30-year-old woman who was tested positive at the Tungku Health Clinic on June 28. To date it has 35 cumulative cases.
Masidi said out of 233 contacts screened, 35 were found positive and 196 negative while two test samples are still awaiting results.
The Gerbang Kauran Cluster in Mukim Lingkudau, Keningau was believed sparked among mosque committee members as well as family members.
“The index patient is a 47-year-old woman who was tested positive at the Keningau Hospital on July 21. To date, this cluster has nine cumulative cases,” said Masidi.
The Tinabau Cluster in Kinabatangan involves workplace transmission within an oil palm estate. “The index patient is a 49-year-old male staff supervisor who was tested positive at the Kinabatangan Permai Clinic on July 19,” said Masidi.
Contact screenings found another 25 positive among family, colleagues and dependants, bringing the cumulative total in this cluster to 26 cases.
In Tongod, the Kg Sogo-Sogo Cluster involving community transmission was sparked by a 32-year-old male who was tested positive at the Tongod Health Clinic on July 23. He had experienced symptoms since July 18.
“Out of 46 contact screenings, eight were found positive, bringing the cumulative number of cases in this cluster to nine,” said Masidi.
The Gipan Kolombong Cluster involves workplace transmission at a cement-mixing premise in Kota Kinabalu.
Masidi said the index patient is a 28-year-old male security personnel from Kg Cenderakasih, Metrotown, Inanam and was detected positive at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 21.
“Out of 67 screened contacts, 37 were found positive and 28 negative while two test samples are still awaiting results,” he said, adding that there are 40 cumulative cases in this cluster to date.
He added that the cluster also recorded three epidemiologically linked cases registered in Tuaran.
Meanwhile, eight localities will be placed under Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) from July 27 to Aug 9, namely Kg Mananam in Tongod, Taman Semarak Megah in Tawau, Kg Sangkabok in Menumbok and Ladang Belian in Kalabakan.
Also included are two Beaufort localities (Kg Batandok and Kg Menanjung), Kg Sumaang in Ranau as well as Kg Pelakat and Kg Pelakat Paya in Sipitang.
Existing EMCOs in nine localities will be lifted on July 26, namely Kg Nahaba, Tegudon in Kota Belud, Borneo Timber in Tongod, Kg Tebongon in Putatan, three KK localities (Jalan Pasir Likas, Taman Kuala Menggatal, Tangki Airbiru quarters in Telipok) and two Beaufort localities (Kg Jempangah and Kg Rancangan Klias)
On Sabah’s National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, under phase two, 30,759 individuals received their first dose, bringing the tally to 570,833 while 1,745 received their second dose, bringing the tally to 320,882.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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