A nurse prepares to conduct a Covid-19 swab test. — Bernama photo
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah recorded 2,279 new cases of Covid-19 on September 4, with symptomatic screenings increasing.
State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the number of close contact screening decreased but the number of cases through symptomatic screening increased.
“This trend is quite worrying because it is a sign that the Covid-19 virus is becoming more prevalent in the community without knowing the cause of the spread.
“Today the percentage of close contacts dropped to 54.3% (1,237) but the number from symptomatic screening rose to 31.1% (708). Cases from existing clusters are 164,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
One new cluster, Kluster Semawang, was detected in Sandakan.
Despite the state’s Health Director Dr Rose Nani Mudin‘s statement last month that backlog results will be reduced in two to three days, the latest number is still showing more than of half samples were obtained from samples up to five days ago.
From the total 2,279 daily cases, 46.8% (1067) were backlog cases taken between 2-3 days after the issuance of the decision, 4.0% (92) between 4-5 days and 7.9% (181) more than five days.
Masidi also highlighted that the number of patients under Category 3, 4 and 5 remains high.
“A total of 626 (27.5%) in Category 1, 1,527 (67.0%) in Category 2, 20 in Category 3, 10 in Category 4 and 9 in Category 5,” he added.
On the vaccination rate, 42.4% of adult population in Sabah have been fully vaccinated and 61.1% obtained one dose.
Beaufort topped the list with 89% population vaccinated followed by Kuala Penyu at 76.6%.