Sabah’s Covid-19 infections breach 4,000 mark

KOTA KINABALU – The Covid-19 surge in Sabah continues, with new cases hitting 4,374 today, up 339 cases from yesterday.

State Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said nearly 63% of the cases are symptomatic, while 99.45% are in Categories 1 and 2, which are the mildest.

He said seven cases are in Category 3, 10 cases in Category 4, and seven cases in Category 5, which is the most severe.

Masidi also said a new prison cluster was reported in Kota Kinabalu with 104 cases, and a school cluster in Kota Belud with 22 cases.

“Higher and higher. Kota Kinabalu reported 752 cases, Sandakan 647 cases, Tawau 256 cases, Putatan 241 cases,” he said via a twitter update. 

15/2: Higher & Higher! Record 4,374 (+339) cases today, nearly 63% symptomatic. KK 752 (-158), S’kan 647 (+151), Tuaran 388 (+-), P’pang 385 (+60), Twau 256 (-72) & Putatan 241 (+41). New KK prison cluster (104) & school cluster in KBelud (22).

99.45% in Cat.1&2, 7 C3,10 C4,7 C5

— Masidi Manjun (@MasidiM) February 15, 2022

On the two new clusters, Masidi said the prison cluster has been identified as the Tembok Cluster Kota Kinabalu 2 and the Jubi Tambulion Kota Belud cluster.

“An inmate at the Kepayan prison has been identified as the index case. The 27-year-old inmate was about to be released from prison.

“A screening of all 103 inmates and a prison department officer found that all of them were positive, taking the total number of cases to 104,” he said.

On the Jubi Tambulion cluster, he said the index case involved a 17-year-old hostel student of SMK Tambulion in Kota Belud.

“Screening on the close contacts and classmates found 22 more people had been infected to date,” he said.

Masidi also noted that 12% of the new infections in Sabah involved children under the age of 11.

“A total of 208 patients are those below five years old. They are not eligible for vaccines and 314 patients included those aged 5 to 11 years old who are already eligible for vaccination,” said Masidi, as he urged for the vaccination of children so that they can be given the maximum protection against the coronavirus.

Masidi, however, noted that vaccination for children aged 5 to 11 is voluntary, and consent from parents must be obtained before their children can be vaccinated. – The Vibes, February 15, 2022