KOTA KINABALU, Feb 16 — Two new COVID-19 clusters were recorded today in Sabah involving schools, said its Housing and Local Government Minister, Datuk Masidi Manjun.
He said the two were the Jalan Sokid Cluster in Ranau and Jalan Bandau Cluster in Kota Marudu.
“The Jalan Sokid Cluster reportedly emerged on Feb 4 involving individuals at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Bundu Tuhan. The index case is a local 24-year-old male, who is a contract cleaning worker at the school.
“Out of the 41 close contacts screened, 27 comprising roommates and classmates were found to be positive for COVID-19, bringing the cumulative number to 28 including the 17 new cases today,” he added.
Masidi, who is also the COVID-19 spokesman for Sabah, said the Jalan Bandau Cluster involved hostelites at SMK Kota Marudu 1 and the index case being an 18-year-old male student who was detected to have the symptoms through screening on Feb 9.
“The screening of 175 close contacts comprising roommates and classmates found 95 more cases, bringing the cumulative number to 96,” he added.
Masidi also said that Sabah recorded the highest number of new infections today at 5,082 from 708 yesterday.
“Kota Kinabalu recorded the highest number of new cases in Sabah, with 1,086. Almost 60 per cent of the cases occur in Kota Kinabalu, with the symptomatic cases resulting from the sporadic infections.
“What is worrying is that sporadic infection has become a trend in almost all the districts in Sabah. Today alone, 59.60 per cent or 3,029 of the 5,082 cases are in this category.
“The high number of sporadic infections means the new cases will multiply fast,” he added.
