KOTA KINABALU – Sixty-four close contacts have been identified and quarantined while a teacher and a pupil from SMK Tulid, Keningau, tested positive for Covid-19.
In his daily briefing today, Sabah Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the close contacts have all been quarantined at the Teacher Training Centre (IPG) in Keningau.
“Preliminary investigation shows that the probability of this infection is a community infection and not a school infection.”
He added that the two who tested positive, a teacher and a pupil, were treated at the Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) in Keningau. This came after 48 SMK Tulid pupils came in close contact with said teacher.
On the school and hostels being closed for disinfection, Masidi said the Keningau Health Office had stepped in quickly to identify all close contacts and have isolated them from others in the school.
“As such, local disinfection activities were conducted on January 24, 2021, and there was no need to close the school. School sessions are allowed to run as usual with strict SOP compliance.”
Masidi said currently only students who are sitting for general examinations (SPM and STPM) are allowed to return to the hostel and take a Covid-19 screening test before they return to the hostel.
“However, the Sabah State Health Department would like to remind teachers and school staff to always be sensitive to their respective health levels and see a doctor to undergo a screening test if they have symptoms. At the same time, compliance with SOPs should be given serious attention.
He said students who undergo screening before the school session opens and if found positive, they are not allowed to enter the dormitory and are not allowed to attend the school session.
“Instead, they will be isolated and treated in hospital or admitted to the PKRC. Upon completion of the treatment period, and through the evaluation of the treating physician, they will be allowed to undergo regular school sessions after they recover.”
Masidi was then asked how many SPM / STPM students in Sabah have tested positive for Covid-19, so far, to which he answered that as of January 24, 2021, a total of 58 students have been confirmed positive for Covid-19 through screening on SPM / STPM students.
“All close contacts of these students have been identified and isolated at the quarantine centers in their respective districts.” – The Vibes, January 25, 2021
