Fully vaccinated woman sparks new cluster in Sabah

A 53-year-old woman who has just completed receiving both Covid-19 vaccination doses in March has been identified as the index case for a new cluster in Sabah, state Local Government and Housing Minister Masidi Manjun says.

The Covid-19 state spokesman said the Desa Ranggu cluster in Tawau started during Aidilfitri and close contact and social contact screening had detected another 17 positive cases, bringing the total to 18 cases.

“The woman showed symptoms since May 15, and was confirmed positive at Tawau health clinic on May 20 based on symptomatic screening. From preliminary investigation, the index case is believed to have been infected by a social contact who visited her home during Aidilfitri on May 13.

“The social contact had a movement record of visiting three houses in Taman Desa Ranggu and her in-laws in Kampung Jawa Tawau before being identified positive on May 22. Further investigation for close contact tracing is being done,” he said in a statement last night.

Masidi said the Sabah state health department had reported 217 new Covid-19 positive cases yesterday, bringing the state’s total to 61,274 cases, with one new death in Kunak.

Masidi said 11 districts in Sabah recorded a singleodigit increase in cases while nine districts recorded single-digit reductions, except for Tawau which recorded a double-digit reduction.

As of yesterday, seven districts – Ranau, Tambunan, Nabawan, Kota Marudu, Beluran, Telupid and Tongod – had recorded zero cases, he said.

“The effectiveness in reducing cases depends largely on how determined communities are in complying with the SOPs on their own and the SOPs set by the state government,” he said.