KOTA KINABALU – The Sabah state government has advised its civil servants against organising physical official and non-official government functions in light of the Covid-19 surge in cases in the state.
According to a circular issued by Sabah state secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong to department heads and local authorities yesterday, the government recommends all scheduled official and non-official government events be postponed or conducted online.
“However, if an event requires attendees to be physically present, the organiser must ensure that all individuals have undergone pre-event screening using the saliva self-test kit or one conducted by a medical practitioner.
“An event must only be held within two hours, with a maximum capacity of one-thirds of the premises while obeying strict standard operating procedures (SOPs),” he stated in the circular.
50% cap on attendees for weddings, no longer than three hours: NSC
Meanwhile, the National Security Council, in its updated SOPs for Sabah, stated today that only a maximum of 150 people or 50% of a premises’ capacity, whichever is lower, are allowed to attend weddings, engagements, and receptions.
The social ceremony must also go no longer than three hours.
For aqiqah, doa selamat, tahlil, birthday celebrations, festive celebrations, reunions, retreats, and other social ceremonies, only a maximum of 50 people or 50% of a premises’ capacity, whichever is lower, are allowed to attend.
Such gatherings must only be conducted no longer than two hours.
Attendees are also not allowed to gather without social distancing, such as when dancing in a group or blowing birthday candles together, among others.
Sabah records over 2,000 new cases, four fresh clusters today
On Sabah’s Covid-19 cases today, the state recorded 2,969 new Covid-19 cases and four new clusters today.
State Covid-19 official spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said that three out of four new clusters today are education clusters, including Jalan Getah Cluster in Kunak that started with a hostel student, accumulating a total of 22 positive cases.
The second cluster is the Jalan Gudon cluster in Kota Kinabalu that started from a 17-year-old male student, who had infected 21 others, including five new cases today.
All new cases are reportedly mild and have been isolated and are being treated.
The third cluster, Cluster Madai 2 in Kunak, started from a 13-year-old female student in SMK Madai, who was detected to be positive of the virus on February 3.
A total of 39 of her friends living in the same hostel have been tested positive, with all case symptoms being mild.
The state also recorded a workplace cluster today named Sutera 2 Cluster in Kota Kinabalu, which started from a 33-year-old non-national working in management.
A total of 278 close contacts have undergone screening, and 57 workers on the site have tested positive, making a total of 58 positive cases from this cluster, including 50 new cases today.
Masidi said that symptomatic cases contribute the most to today’s cases (56.35%), especially in Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Sandakan, Tuaran, Tawau, Lahad Datu and Ranau.
Eight districts also recorded three-figure new cases, with Kota Kinabalu registering the most cases at 565 cases, followed by Penampang (346), Sandakan (327), Tuaran (248), Papar (241), Tawau (181), Lahad Datu (151), and Ranau (121).
All districts in Sabah are now categorised as red zones (over 40 active cases), except for Tongod (orange – 21 to 40 cases) and Kalabakan (yellow – 1 to 20 cases). – The Vibes, February 10, 2022
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