Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun – Bernama photo
KOTA KINABALU (March 13) : Sabah’s new Covid-19 cases has increased by 49 to 845 today due to a rise in infections in Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Tuaran, said Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun.
According to him, Kota Kinabalu registered an increase of 50 to 227 infections, while Penampang was back to three digits with 105 cases, up 44 cases from the day before.
“Kota Kinabalu and Penampang are the only two districts that recorded three-figure cases,” he said, adding that cases in Papar have decreased from 102 to 82.
Meanwhile, Masidi, who is Sabah’s Covid-19 spokesperson, said Tuaran saw an increase of 24 cases from 57 to 81 due to a new high-risk group cluster involving Hope Village welfare care centre at Jalan Tambalang in the district.
The index case was a 20-year-old female student who was undertaking practical session at the centre and staying at the workers’ quarters. She tested positive through symptomatic screening on March 5 and subsequent screenings on her close contacts found another 59 cases, bringing the cumulative total to 60 under the cluster.
Masidi said further investigation was still ongoing and those who were infected have been isolated and given treatment.
On the other hand, he said the Jalan Getah education institution cluster in Kunak ended today.
He also said that Telupid was the only district in Sabah with zero new case. Seven districts reported less than 10 cases, while others recorded two-digit infections except for Kota Kinabalu and Penampang.
Although the daily cases has become increasingly stable, Masidi said sporadic infections remained high at close to 61 per cent of the total cases.
“The risk of rapid and widespread transmission of the virus is still present.
“The public should comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) at all times.”
Of the 845 new cases, he said 831 or 98.35 per cent fell under Categories 1 and 2, five in Category 3, eight in Category 4 and one in Category 5.