A GATHERING during a funeral ceremony in Kampung Nasakot, Ranau, Sabah resulted in a Covid-19 cluster that has since led to 32 positive cases. 

Sabah local government and housing minister Masidi Manjun said the index case for the community-type cluster was a 40-year-old woman who tested positive during pre-admission screening at Ranau Hospital on August 20.

On August 12, the index case developed symptoms such as fever, flu and loss of taste and smell but she ignored them and attended the funeral of a family member two days later.

“The ceremony went on for seven days with almost the entire village of Kampung Nasakot taking part. The virus spread among the people of Kampung Nasakot and Kampung Tanid in Malinsau,” he said.

Another cluster recorded today was the Jeroco oil palm workplace in Lahad Datu with 58 infections recorded so far.

“The index case was a 27-year-old male factory worker who tested positive at a private clinic on August 26 after showing symptoms. Most of the cases involve non-citizens who have yet to be vaccinated,” he said.

Masidi said 2,594 new Covid-19 positive cases were recorded in Sabah today, with cumulative cases now at 147,843, while 2,551 recovered cases were reported, taking the number of recoveries in the state to 114,929. – Bernama, August 31, 2021.