Covid-19: 2,954 new cases today, Papar records drastic increase

31 Aug 2021

By Ilona Andrew

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah registered a total of 2,954 new Covid-19 cases today with Papar seeing a drastic increase of 216 cases compared to yesterday's 49 cases.

Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said this latest addition has pushed the cumulative total of statewide infections to 147,843.

Kota Kinabalu still tops other districts with its daily caseload where 567 cases were recorded today, followed by Sandakan (320 cases), Penampang (268 cases), Papar, Tawau (168 cases), Tuaran (156 cases), and Keningau (138).

"Although close contacts are still a major contributor to the caseload (1,573 cases) today, the cases detected through cluster screening increased to 787 from 680 yesterday.

"Cases in these categories are considered sporadic cases, that is, the carrier or source of the virus is difficult to identify. This indicates that the virus is already within the community," he said in a statement today.

According to Masidi, these sporadic cases are often associated with negligence of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) compliance as well as unfit personal health care practices.

He stated that the percentage of cases in this category is quite high in some districts - Tawau 44.6 per cent, Penampang 41.4 per cent, Putatan 38.5 per cent, and Kota Kinabalu 31.9 per cent.

"Of the total cases today, 1,938 cases are classed in Category 2 while 564 cases are in Category 1, 15 cases in Category 3, four cases in Category 4, and 12 cases in Category 5. The rest of the cases are still under investigation."

Meanwhile, Masidi said a total of 2,551 discharges were recorded today, bringing the cumulative total of recoveries to 114,929.

The number of active cases now stands at 4,896 with 3,298 patients being treated in quarantine centres, 1,539 at hospitals, 51 in temporary detention centres, and eight in private facilities.

"To date, there are 219 patients currently receiving treatment in the intensive care unit, 82 in acute cubicle, and 81 ventilated."