Kota Kinabalu: The State Government has decided to allow the public and private sectors to hold official functions such as officiations, seminars and workshops, starting Oct 4.Sabah’s Covid-19 spokesperson Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the events are subject to 50 per cent capacity of the premise’s space and every individual present must be fully vaccinated.
“Individuals not vaccinated due to medical reasons and verified by a registered medical officer must undergo a pre-event Covid-19 test with a saliva self-test kit prior to attending the event.
“This must be witnessed by the organiser or verified by a medical practitioner,” he said in a statement, Sunday.
Meanwhile, there is a need for Sabahans to learn to live with Covid-19 as the virus is widespread within the community, given that close contacts and symptomatic cases are top contributors to Sabah’s caseload, said Masidi.
“It is no longer viable to rely on enforcement and front liners to curb the spread of Covid-19. We need to accept the fact that we have to live with the virus and the best recommended approach is self-compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOP), other than supporting the vaccination programme currently implemented,” he said.
Of the 767 cases recorded in Sabah on Sunday, Masidi said 54.63 per cent are close contacts.
“Other than that, 35.07 per cent are symptomatic cases which indicate that the nature of transmission in Sabah is no longer within certain localities, but is already spread throughout the entire community,” he said.
Sabah recorded 14 deaths on Sunday — three in Tawau, two each in Lahad Datu and Kota Kinabalu and one each in Kudat, Tuaran, Kota Marudu, Penampang, Semporna, Ranau and Sandakan.
Masidi said Kota Kinabalu topped the list with 112 cases, followed by Ranau (56), Keningau (55), Lahad Datu (53), Kota Belud (45), Penampang (40) and Sandakan (38).
“Districts that have recorded a significant increase include Kota Kinabalu (+33), followed by Kudst (+19), Sipitang(+12) and Papar (+11).
He added that category one and two infections made up 91.52 per cent of the caseload, while there are five category three infections, six category four infections and three category five infections.
“There are 286 category four and five patients that have not been vaccinated which is 63.41 per cent,” said Masidi.
He added that 10 cases involved babies less than a year old, 66 involved one to five-year-olds, 77 involved six to 11-year-olds, 76 involved 12 to 17-year-olds, 107 involved 18 to 25 -year-olds, 370 involved 26 to 59-year-olds whereas 61 cases involved those aged above 60 years.
The caseload also comprised 742 Malaysians and 25 non-Malaysians, 747 local cases and 20 imported cases, while 344 are unvaccinated and 355 have completed both doses.
Some 1,096 Covid-19 patients have been discharged from the hospital while 2,790 patients are currently receiving treatment at hospitals, low risk quarantine and treatment centres (PKRCs), prisons/temporary detention centres and private facilities.
Masidi said 132 patients are under critical care, with 119 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/repurposed critical care as well as 13 in the open ward (high dependency ward (HDW)/acute cubicle), with 50 needing ventilator support.
On Sabah’s immunisation programme, Masidi 22,117 individuals were vaccinated on Oct 2, of which 18,089 were adults and 4,028 were teenagers.
“As of Oct 2, some 2,320,714 individuals have completed their first dose, of which 74.3 per cent were adults. Some 1,815,016 individuals have completed both doses of the vaccine, of which 1,814,597 were adults,” he said.
He added that 270,656 teenagers have received their first dose, whereas 419 teenagers have been fully vaccinated thus far.
Meanwhile, the existing Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in Taman Pantai Lok Kawi, Papar will be lifted on Oct 4.
