THE Health Ministry is expecting Covid-19 infections to spike further in the next one week and is taking three key measures to contain the spread.

Director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this includes surveillance and active contract tracing.

Noor Hisham said health authorities have started screening cases of influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infections as part of its surveillance.

“This is important for us to detect (new cases), by using the find, isolate and treat method,” he said, adding the second method, which is active tracing.

As for the third method, he urged the public to cooperate with the ministry by staying at home and only going out when there is a need.

He said this is crucial to break the chain of infections as the virus is already present within the community.

Taking Sabah, which currently has 1,901 cases as an example, he said the ministry hopes to flatten the curve through its various public health intervention activities.

“We expect more cases in the next one week.

“However there has been a decline in the last three days but we will actively conduct case detection and testing,” Noor Hisham said.

Noor Hisham said those who had returned from Sabah prior to September 27, and had symptoms or close contact with positive cases must get tested.

He also recommended those who are asymptomatic to get screened.

From September 27, the ministry made it compulsory for Sabah returnees to undergo Covid-19 screening and home quarantine.

Screening will be done upon arrival at domestic and international entry points until Saturday. – October 8, 2020.