KOTA KINABALU, Aug 16 — Sabah recorded 1,728 new COVID-19 cases today, with one new cluster detected in Lahad Datu, bringing the total number of infections in the state to 106,830.
Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the Cenderawasih cluster was a workplace cluster with the index case being a male security personnel, 39, who was confirmed positive at the Tungku Health Clinic on Aug 11 after having symptoms since Aug 7.
Masidi, who is also Sabah’s official spokesperson on COVID-19, said the active detection and screenings conducted on close contacts found seven more positive cases, which brings the cumulative cases in the cluster to eight, including one new case today.
“Meanwhile, 27 out of 35 individuals screened are still awaiting results. The source of infection is still being investigated, but preliminary investigations revealed that the close contacts had engaged in sports activities with the index case.
“All COVID-19 positive cases in the cluster were referred to the Lahad Datu Hospital for further treatment and isolation at the Lahad Datu Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre. Other close contacts have been directed to undergo quarantine at PPR Sri Sapagaya quarantine centre in Lahad Datu,” he said in a statement tonight.
Overall, Masidi said the total daily cases recorded today rose by 63 cases compared to 1,665 cases yesterday, with 15 deaths reported, five each in Kota Kinabalu and Tawau, and one death in Sandakan, Penampang, Keningau, Tuaran and Sipitang, respectively.
He also said that close contact screenings continued to be the main contributor to new cases in Sabah with 955 cases or 55.26 per cent; followed by symptomatic screenings (461 cases); cluster screenings (141 cases); targeted screenings (12 cases); and other screenings (159 cases).
According to Masidi, 763 cases or 44.2 per cent were in Category 2, followed by Category 1 (366 cases); Category 3 (10 cases); Category 4 and 5 with one case each, while 587 cases were still being investigated.
Commenting on the development of the vaccination programme in Sabah, Masidi said 46.2 per cent of the adult population in the state have already received their first dose while 22.7 per cent have completed both doses so far.
A total of 1.4 million or 51.3 per cent of Sabahans have registered for their vaccination on various platforms, he added.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency