KOTA KINABALU: Sabah recorded its fifth Covid-19 death yesterday.
The Ministry of Health reported that the deceased was a 53-year-old woman, who worked as a medical personnel at the Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital in Likas.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the 113th fatal victim (case 6,856) had a history of cancer and high blood pressure. She had been on medical leave as a result of her cancer.
“She was brought to the Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital in Likas on May 5 after her condition deteriorated. She tested positive for Covid-19 and died on May 7 at 1.30 pm.
Meanwhile, Kota Kinabalu registered one new case yesterday, bringing the total in the state to 331.
One Covid-19 patient in Semporna has recovered from the virus while another patient in Kinabatangan was readmitted.
The number of recovered patients in the state remains at 296.
Nationwide, 17 new Covid-19 cases were reported yesterday, the second-lowest figure recorded since the Movement Control Order (MCO) came into force on March 18.
Dr Noor Hisham said six of them were imported cases while 11 more were local transmissions involving non-Malaysians.
“This brings the total of Covid-19 positive cases in the country to 6,872 while the number of infectivity cases is 1,247,” he said at the daily media conference on Covid-19 in Putrajaya yesterday.
Dr Noor Hisham said 73 recoveries were also reported yesterday, bringing the total number of those who have fully recovered and discharged to 5,512 cases.
He said 13 Covid-19 patients were being treated in the intensive care unit, five of whom require ventilators.
Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said besides senior citizens, children and infants are also listed under Covid-19 high-risk groups, and as such, they needed to be protected against the risk of infection.
“To date, there have been 317 Covid-19 cases involving children aged 12 and below. From these, 112 cases (35 percent) are aged four and below, and 22 cases (seven percent) involve infants aged below 12 months,” he said.
He said there have been no deaths among children aged 12 and below so far.
Selangor has the highest number of Covid-19 cases involving those aged 12 and under with 77 cases, followed by Negeri Sembilan (48), Johor (46), Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (28) and Sabah with 26 cases.
Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said so far, no Covid-19 infected children have developed ‘Kawasaki disease’.
He also said that the children who tested positive for Covid-19 had contracted the virus through adults around them.
“We have to ensure not to touch our children when we return home. Shower, or wash your hands or use hand sanitiser as we may have been exposed to the virus outside.
“The ministry is also worried that during the upcoming festive season, there is a chance we may be bringing along the virus to our hometowns and infect groups at risk,” he said.
As such, he said it was crucial that the public follow the ministry’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) such as practising social distancing and adhere to the 3Cs (avoiding crowds, confined spaces and close conversation).
“Parents, guardians and older family members play a vital role in educating our children about personal hygiene such as washing hands with soap and water and the use of face masks in public areas,” he said.