Another student tests positive for Covid-19 in Sabah

By Olivia Miwil - May 13, 2020 @ 9:18am

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has recorded another Covid-19 positive case involving a university student.

State Health Department director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi said yesterday's sole new case involved a local varsity after the student was screened and had samples taken.

The previous day, Sabah saw a surge of 10 imported cases, the first double digits recorded in the state after three weeks, of which two of them were students who returned from Peninsular Malaysia.

"The latest case from a local education institution here was detected after screening and had samples taken according to standard of procedures in managing the movement of students in Sabah," she added.

For now, 1,408 students had been sent home to their own districts in the state while 1,612 returned to Peninsular Malaysia, Labuan and Sarawak.

They were among about 7,000 students in Sabah allowed to return.

However, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, which coordinates student movements in the state, yesterday said the remaining students from its main campus were not allowed to return to their hometowns due to unavoidable circumstances.

As of yesterday, Sabah has 31 cases still being treated at the hospitals.

Dr Christina added that health personnel have also been actively screening those arriving at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Tawau airport and Sandakan airport from other states.

"JKNS would like to remind those being asked to undergo home quarantine to comply.

"Family members should ensure the students abide by the order and at the same time give moral support throughout the quarantine period," she added.

The department had found a student from Tawau and two individuals from Sandakan and Penampang had flouted the order of which they could be charged under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.