KOTA KINABALU: A mechanic has triggered a new workplace cluster involving an oil palm plantation in Sabah, which has so far recorded 19 infections.
Sabah Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the Blok 03 cluster in Kinabatangan pushed the district to the fourth highest position in the state in terms of infection at 36 cases.
"The 58-year-old local man was positive after undergoing a work screening at a private clinic in Lahad Datu on Oct 21.
"Subsequently, he was referred to the Kinabatangan Hospital for further treatment.
"Close contact screenings found a total of 19 positive cases among social contacts, employees and dependents," he said in a statement today.
The investigations, as well as Covid-19 sampling and disinfection were still ongoing on the field to assess the spread of infection, Masidi said.
Authorities were also ascertaining any possible risk of infection to workers in nearby estates.
Meanwhile, Masidi clarified that there is an error in the media statement yesterday regarding the Alab Senagang Cluster which stated that the mother-in-law of the index case died due to Covid-19.
"The actual fact of the case as reported by the state Health Department is that the mother-in-law to the index case died not due to Covid-19.
"This is an unintentional typo and any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted," he said.
Today, Sabah recorded 592 new Covid-19 infections, including 202 backlog cases.
Kota Kinabalu topped the daily cases with 76 followed by Beaufort (58), Kota Marudu (53) and Kinabatangan (36).
Kota Belud recorded 35 new cases, followed by Tambunan (33), Tenom (33), Lahad Datu (28), Ranau (28), Papar (26), Tuaran (26), Keningau (24), Pitas (22), Kudat (17), Penampang (15), Telupid (13), Sandakan (13), Sipitang (12), Tawau (11), Beluran (9), Semporna (5), Putatan (5), Nabawan (4), Tongod (3), Kalabakan (3), Kuala Penyu (2), and Kunak (2).
Sabah also registered four fatalities – one each in Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Tawau and Kinabatangan.
Masidi said close contacts still remain the largest contributor to Sabah's caseload with 311 cases (52.53 per cent), followed by symptomatic screening with 204 or 34.46 per cent.
He pointed out that the state did not record any patients in Category 5.
"A total of 102 patients (17.2 per cent) in Category 1, 468 (79.1 per cent) in Category 2, three in Category 3 and four in Category 4. Another 15 cases are still under investigation," he said.
Some 616 Covid-19 patients recovered, while 1,971 patients are currently receiving treatment at hospitals, low-risk quarantine and treatment centres (PKRCs), prisons/temporary detention centres and private facilities.
Masidi said 87 patients are under critical care, with 79 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/repurposed critical care as well as eight in the open ward (high dependency ward (HDW)/acute cubicle), with 27 needing ventilators support.