Covid-19: 46 pct of Sabah's 720 new cases stem from close contact screening

26 July 2021 By Ilona Andrew KOTA KINABALU: Almost half of Sabah's total Covid-19 caseload today were identified from close contact screening - 331 cases or 46 per cent. The number of Sabah Covid-19 daily cases remains high but today toned down to 720 compared to yesterday's 818. Local Government and Housing Datuk Masidi Manjun said the cumulative total of statewide infections has now hit 80,190. "A total of 226 cases were identified through existing clusters while 103 cases were identified through symptomatic screening. "Kota Kinabalu recorded the highest number of new close contact cases with 69 out of the cumulative total of 331. "For cluster screening, the Agathis cluster recorded the highest number 112 out of 226," he said in a press statement today. According to Masidi, 83.6 per cent of these new cases either exhibit mild symptoms (Category 2) or no symptoms at all (Category 1). Those in both of these categories are not required to be admitted to hospitals. They are only placed in quarantine centres for further treatment. "All districts in the state recorded a change in the number of positive Covid-19 cases which continues to increase. "With a total 331 cases detected through close contact screening, it can be concluded there is still a high probability of SOP non-compliance," he noted. As for recoveries, Masidi said a total of 488 discharges were recorded today, bringing the recovery tally in the state to 74,085. "A total of 3,507 patients are still receiving treatment with 673 at hospitals, 2,563 in quarantine centres, and the rest in the temporary detention centres or prisons. "Seventy-seven patients are currently treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) with 17 of them requiring ventilator support," he disclosed. Unfortunately, six fatalities were recorded today with four recorded in Kota Kinabalu and one each in Kota Marudu and Sandakan.