KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s Covid-19 cases went through the roof again, with a new high of 5,082 infections detected Wednesday (Feb 16).

       Two new education clusters – Jalan Bandau in Kota Marudu (96 cases), and Jalan Sokid in Ranau (28 cases) – were reported as well.

       Minister in charge of Covid-19 matters in the state, Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, said health officials might have trouble with their Covid-19 contact tracing at the rate these cases were going.

       He said with the latest new cases, it was evident that the virus had spread widely in the community, and it would continue to affect victims quicker.

       He said out of the total new cases, 3,029 or 59% were sporadic.

       “This means that the virus will spread faster and more widely while health officials might have trouble catching up with the spread and in contact tracing,” Masidi said in his daily updates.

       Kota Kinabalu, he said, topped the chart with 1,086 new cases, Sandakan with 500 cases, Penampang (463), Tuaran (421), Papar (313), Tawau (310), Ranau (266), Lahad Datu (263), Putatan (222), Kota Marudu (216), Keningau (181), Beaufort (144) and Kota Belud (137).

       He said the addition of two new clusters brought the total active clusters in the state to 39.

       For the Jalan Bandau cluster, the case index is an 18-year-old male hostel student of SMK Kota Marudu 1 who tested positive on Feb 9.

       A total of 95 of his close contacts subsequently tested positive as well.

       In Ranau, the Jalan Sokid cluster was triggered by a 24-year-old contract worker at SMK Bundu Tuhan. He tested positive on Feb 4.

       All positive patients in these clusters have been isolated and given the necessary treatment.

       Meanwhile, more than 99% or 5,068 of the total 5,082 new cases are under Categories 1 and 2, meaning they are asymptomatic or only displaying mild symptoms.

       There are three Category 3 cases, 10 under Category 4 and one under Category 5.