Kota Kinabalu: The State Government has released the latest Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for both Muslim and non-Muslim places of worship effective Wednesday.
Sabah’s Covid-19 Spokesperson Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the Friday prayers (Solat Jumaat) and obligatory prayers (Solat Fardhu Berjemaah) at all mosques and suraus are allowed for the fully-vaccinated at 50 per cent capacity with compliance to one-metre physical distancing.
“Congregants in the high-risk group and those who have Covid-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, flu, breathing difficulties and the like are not allowed.
“Parishioners (ahli kariah) that are a Patient under Investigation (PUI) and Person under Surveillance (PUS Covid-19) are also not allowed at the premises,” he said in a statement, Wednesday.
He added that children below 12 are not allowed at the premises, unless accompanied by parents or guardians who have completed two vaccination doses.
“If there are congregants who are suspected or confirmed to be positive for Covid-19, the mosque or surau must conduct full sanitisation works, and other congregants present must undergo screening as per procedures by the Malaysian Health Ministry (MOH),” said Masidi. Congregants are not allowed to share prayer equipment, and must bring their own prayer mats, whereas female congregants must bring their own prayer garment (telekung).
Masidi said congregants are also encouraged to bring their own ablution water (air wuduk) from home.
For non-Muslim places of worship, prayer sessions are allowed between 6am and 10pm at two hours maximum, interspersed with sanitation works 30 minutes before the next session starts.
Prayers are only allowed at 50 per cent capacity subject to one-meter physical distancing and worshippers must bring their own prayer equipment.
“Only fully vaccinated individuals are allowed while those who have chronic illnesses, are unvaccinated/partially vaccinated and having fever or symptoms are not allowed to be at the premise,” said Masidi.
Social activities such as kenduri-kendara, gotong-royong and others are allowed at 50 per cent capacity, while children below 12 years old can only be present with parents or guardians that have completed two doses.
Sabah’s cases dipped to 3,791 on Wednesday from 4,406 the day earlier, while nine deaths were recorded, three in Kota Kinabalu, two each in Penampang and Sandakan and one each in Beaufort and Tawau. No new clusters were identified.
Sporadic infections remain high at 67.41 per cent of the caseload while 505 cases involved unvaccinated children below 11 age 11, of which 209 were kids below age five.
Kota Kinabalu topped the list with 735 cases, followed by Penampang (516), Tuaran (410), Tawau (338), Papar (320), Sandakan (198), Keningau (155), Kota Belud (154), Beaufort (153), Putatan (150), Kota Marudu (135), Lahad Datu (129) and Ranau (105).
The majority of cases are mild, 3,935 of 3,791 cases being category one and two infections, which is 99.09 per cent. 12 cases are in category three, 17 in category four and seven in category five.
Some 3,329 Covid-19 patients have been discharged from the hospital 2,594 patients are currently receiving treatment at hospitals, low risk quarantine and treatment centres (PKRCs), prisons/temporary detention centres and private facilities.
On Sabah’s immunisation programme, Masidi said 11,306 individuals were vaccinated on Feb 22, of which 9,817 were adults while 56 were teenagers and 1,433 were children.
As of Feb. 22, a total of 2,412,670 individuals have completed both doses, of which 77.27 per cent were adults, while 2,489,170 have gotten their first dose, of which 77.99 per cent were adults.
Masidi added that a total of 338,517 teenagers have received their first dose, while 313,551 have completed both doses, which is 73.57 per cent of the teenage population. A total of 32,047 children have received their first dose.
* Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss.
* Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.