COVID-19 pandemic in Sabah
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Sabah, Malaysia, in March 2020. As of 16 November 2022, there are 402,031 confirmed cases.[2]
For the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dutch Caribbean island of Saba, see COVID-19 pandemic in Saba.COVID-19 pandemic in Sabah
Timeline[edit]
March 2020[edit]
On 12 March 2020, Sabah reported its first positive case involving a male resident from Tawau District who had been one of the participant in the Muslim religious gathering at Sri Petaling in Kuala Lumpur. He began to develop symptoms after returning and was subsequently transferred to Tawau Hospital.[1] A second positive case was reported the following day in Benoni's Papar District which also originated from the religious gathering where he was then transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for further treatment.[15] A total of 14 new confirmed cases were recorded within the day.[16] On 14 March, the Sabah State Health Department reported that another 11 new cases were confirmed in the state, bringing the total to 26.[17] A further spike to 82 positive cases was then reported making Sabah the third most affected in Malaysia by the virus after Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.[18] Earlier since the first positive case was reported, the State Health Department had warned that more positive cases were expected.[19][20] By 18 March, the total positive cases had risen to 103.[21] A further seven infections were recorded on 20 March, raising the total infected to 119 with the first death caused by the virus reported in Tawau involving a 58-year-old man who had been one of the participant of the religious gathering.[22][23] The religious gathering also caused the closure of palm oil plantations in three districts of Tawau, Lahad Datu and Kinabatangan in late March after several plantation workers who had participated in the gathering were found positive with the virus.[24][25] On 26 March, Sabah reported its first recovery of a coronavirus patient in Sandakan District.[26] The entire Gaya Island inhabitants in the western coast of Sabah had also been put under close monitoring. 65.6% of the inhabitants were tested and 1,600 samples were taken.[27] By 29 March, Tawau District was declared a red zone with a significant increase in positive cases, surpassing other districts within the state.[28]
April 2020[edit]
By early April, a total of 7,173 coronavirus tests had been conducted with the results of positive cases rising to 209.[29] Within the same month, more than 90 people recovered from the virus with three deaths reported since March;[30] the latest involving a 66-year-old man in Tambunan District with a medical history of diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease on 5 April along with a 62-year-old retired senior Sabah government official and tabligh worker with diabetes who died in Kota Kinabalu District on 10 April.[31][32] On 9 April, a total of 231,980 people had been screened in the state out of which 16,654 samples had been taken for testing.[33] The State Health Department explained that further positive cases would only be known once 4,600 samples were cleared in the following two days by a special task force set up on 8 April. The task force had previously faced a testing backlog following the shortage of reagents.[34] Earlier on 6 April, a body of a 26-year-old man without identity documents was found hanged to a tree in a jungle area at Pondo Village in Gaya Island. His death was believed to be a suicide,[35] which was later confirmed in a subsequent post-mortem. In addition, further screening also identified the deceased as being COVID-19 positive, making the case count as the fourth death for COVID-19 in Sabah.[36][37]
Through a statement made by the Sabah Health Department on 13 April, a total of 5,007 tests had been done - more than the expected 4,600 backlog samples. According to the findings, a quarter of coronavirus cases in Kota Kinabalu were categorised as being sporadic.[38][39] 5,983 patients were placed under home quarantine, with 956 in Tawau, 796 in Kota Kinabalu, 684 in Kunak, 624 in Papar, 603 in Penampang, 416 in Kinabatangan, 297 in Keningau and 231 in Sandakan while a further total of 853 people were placed in state-provided quarantine centres.[38][39] Among the areas - Greater Kota Kinabalu, Penampang District recorded the most sporadic case numbers.[40] Further infection clusters were detected in both Sabah Women and Children's Hospital in Likas and Keningau Hospital from outside source which were then contracted by several of the hospital staff members.[41] Another cluster was identified on 18 April at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital II.[42] By 17 April, Kota Kinabalu District became the second red zone with the second most infection rate after Tawau District.[43][44] This was followed by Lahad Datu District the following day which became the third red zone.[45] Through a survey of infections within the state, the virus was found to be infecting more males than females, with those infected aged between 1 and 80.[46] It was also discovered that 85% of coronavirus positive patients in the state was asymptomatic.[47] On 30 April, Beluran District which was previously declared as a green zone registered its first positive case.[48]
May 2020[edit]
Further cases were detected around the state capital of Kota Kinabalu such as Luyang and further to Sembulan by mid-May.[49][50] With the limited supply of reagents, the Sabah State Health Department announced that it was unsure of being able to screen an estimated more than 100,000 foreign workers in the state. This was despite the announcement made by the federal government for foreign workers across the country to undergo mandatory screening following a spike in cases amongst them.[51] On 11 May, further cases were detected in four districts comprising Keningau, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Tawau.[52] Most of the newer cases involved returning students and several individuals who had flouted home quarantine rules.[53] A fifth death by the virus was reported within the month on 16 May involving a 53-year-old terminally ill female cancer patient with hypertension who had also been a health worker.[54] By 24 May, another green zone of Kota Marudu District registered its first positive case involving a returnee from Kuala Lumpur.[55] Most of the additional cases in the state capital as well in the whole Sabah was mainly import cases involving returnees from West Malaysia as found through the survey of the State Health Department.[56][57]
June 2020[edit]
On 1 June, Sabah State Health Director Christina Rundi announced that only 12 remaining positive cases were being treated in six specialist hospitals within the state from which a total of 346 cases had been registered in Sabah; of these 329 had recovered and five died.[58] By 11 June, further cases rose to 356 with the sixth virus fatality involving an 85-year-old elderly woman who died at her home in Keningau District within the same day.[59] Her body was subsequently brought into Keningau Hospital with the deceased's close contacts also found to be positive with the virus.[60] The following day, another virus casualty was reported involving an elderly 96-year-old woman who also died at her home.[61]
July 2020[edit]
On 29 July, Sabah State Health Director Christina reported a further three new cases in the districts of Lahad Datu, Papar and Penampang, bringing the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 392.[62] Among those infected were primary school students with the eighth fatality victim a 64-year-old Filipino with heart complications.[63][64]
September 2020[edit]
On 11 September, Sabah recorded the highest infections rate from a new cluster in Lahad Datu with newer cases passing 300 and becoming the highest case jump of COVID-19 in Malaysia in more than 3 months.[68][69]
On 28 September, Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that an enhanced MCO would be imposed on the districts of Lahad Datu, Tawau, Kunak, and Semporna between 29 September and October 12. Under this lockdown, non-residents and visitors would not be allowed to enter the district and most business activities apart from essential services would have to cease.[70]
October 2020[edit]
On 1 October, Director-General of Health Noor Hisham Abdullah confirmed that 118 of the 260 new cases reported that day had occurred in Sabah. 31 cases reported in other Malaysian states were linked to those who had returned from Sabah recently. The Joo Hwa cluster in Sabah was also identified by the Health Ministry.[71]
On 10 October, 40 of the 66 nurses manning intensive care units at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Kota Kinabalu were quarantined after one of their colleagues tested positive for COVID-19.[72] In response to the outbreak in Sabah, Director-General Noor Hisham announced that the Malaysian Health Ministry had dispatched a total of 475 medical and public health workers to Tawau, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Kota Kinabalu.[73]
November 2020[edit]
On 11 November, the Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah identified three new clusters in the state: the Karamunting cluster, Saga cluster and Haven cluster.[74]
August 2021[edit]
On 17 August, the Minister in charge of COVID-19 matters in Sabah, Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun reported a record of 2,103 new cases, with close contacts making up 58% of these cases (1,229 individuals). Tawau reported 255 new cases, Sandakan 208 cases, Tuaran 200 cases, Keningau 163 new cases, and Penampang 135 new cases. A new cluster called the "Kluster Sawit Baiduri" consisting of 77 positive cases was identified in Lahad Datu.[75]
Implications[edit]
Masks and hand sanitiser shortages[edit]
Sabah's capital city of Kota Kinabalu have reported shortages on both surgical masks and hand sanitiser since January.[76] There were reports that some businesses in the state taking advantage of the situation by selling overpriced masks during the period which led them being fined by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry branch of Sabah.[77]
Economic impact[edit]
Many of the state residents in each districts rush to stock up essential items once the first positive case were reported among netizens even before the official announcement of the first case was made by the state government of Sabah.[78][79] With the rising number of positive cases been reported, residents in one of Sabah's district of Kunak are reportedly buying large quantities of rice to stock up foods.[80] The Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah Christina Liew has called on the community in her constituency of Tawau to avoid from panic buying despite the quick spread of the virus.[81] Throughout the first week of the movement control order (MCO), a supermarket in Papar also reportedly being stormed by shoppers who rush to buy sanitisers.[82]
On 16 August, State COVID-19 spokesperson Masidi Manjun announced that Sabah's construction, manufacturing, mining and quarry sectors with at least 80% of workers vaccinated would be reallowed to reopen. Manjun also announced that companies within these sectors, with 60% to 79% of their manpower vaccinated, would also be allowed to operate at 80% capacity. The reopening of these sectors is part of the second phase of the Malaysian Government's National Recovery Plan.[83]
Repatriation of foreigners[edit]
On 5 June, National Security Council Sabah director Sharifah Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof confirmed that 5,300 Filipino "illegal immigrants" had been "stranded" at temporary detention centres in Sabah after the Philippines government refused to repatriate them due to the COVID-19 pandemic in that country. Since the imposition of a Condition Movement Control Order in May, state authorities have repatriated 322 Indonesian illegal immigrants via Tawau.[84][85]
In late June, National Security Council Sabah director Sharifah confirmed that state authorities would be deporting 250 undocumented migrants. The first batch of 134 would be deported on 24 June while the second batch of 133 would be deported on 26 June.[86]
Repatriation of Malaysian nationals[edit]
On 23 June, Bernama and The Sun reported that at least twenty Malaysians were stranded in Indonesia's Nunukan Regency and unable to return to Sabah. The Malaysian Consulate in Pontianak had sent a letter to the Sabah Government requesting permission for the family to be allowed to return to Tawau but had received no response.[87]
Aid to Sabah on the pandemic[edit]
Local aid[edit]
The Sabah state government has announced a total of RM670 million aid to help ease the burden of the people affected by the outbreak with 15 measures had been formulated under the package, involving three categories including assistance to frontliners staffs and the affected people.[143] On 21 April, the Sabah State Legislative Assembly has passed the First Supplementary Supply (2020) Bill 2020, approving a further additional budget of RM553 million to help those affected by the pandemic in the state.[144] The Sabah state government also has directed all its government-linked companies not to reduce or cut their staff salaries despite going through the current business slowdown due to the MCO.[142]
The federal government had donated a total of 200,000 face masks, 50,000 gloves, 10,000 litres of sanitisers and a variety of medical equipments for frontliners in Sabah.[141] On 10 April, a further 3 million surgical masks meant for the distribution to every home in Sabah were delivered by the federal government through another RMAF flight.[145] Basic essential items aid also being extended by NGOs to families of illegal immigrants in the state following reports that they have been abandoned by irresponsible employer.[146]
Several local individuals who requested anonymity has donated a total of 10,000 pieces of 3-ply surgical masks to hospitals around Sabah.[147] Through the "Star Frontliners Initiative", a total of 150,000 surgical gloves were delivered to the frontliners in Sabah's Queen Elizabeth Hospital.[148] Under the "Edge Covid-19 Equipment Fund", medical equipments such as breathing machines, ventilators and oxygen concentrators along with various personal protective equipments (PPEs) comprising 196,000 face masks, 4,840 protective gowns/suits and 1,200 face shields were delivered to hospitals around Sabah.[149] Until April, the state government has received contributions worth RM11,380,000 in cash and other different kinds of donations from various state statutory bodies, NGOs and private sectors of the state in support of its efforts to stem the virus spread within Sabah.[150]
Foreign aid[edit]
China's Consulate-General in Kota Kinabalu has announced that medical aid to be dispatched to Sabah to aid their struggle against the virus and reciprocate the people's of Sabah recent assistance to Mainland China.[151][152] The first aid came to Sabah on 29 March, which consists of 83 boxes of face masks with 2,000 pieces before a further 170,000 boxes of face masks, personal equipments and sanitisers delivered directly to the Sabah state government.[153][154][155] Another 20,000 surgical masks destined for Sabah's healthcare frontliner workers were delivered in early April.[156]
Through the efforts and initiatives of the Sabah Ma-Zhong Friendship Association, a total of RM100,000 worth of medical aid and masks were delivered to Sabah frontliners comprising 10,000 pieces of 3-ply surgical masks from the Sichuan Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, Sichuan Overseas Chinese Business Association, and Sichuan Tiandan Trading Co. Ltd., 5,000 pieces of N95 face masks from the Fujian Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and another 400 pieces of KN95 face masks from the Shanxi Provincial Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and Shanxi Overseas Exchanges Association.[147] Chinese medical experts specialised in respirology, intensive care, psychiatry, infectious diseases, data analysis, virology and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) also being dispatched to Sabah to share their expertise in dealing with the virus with some of the expertise has experience throughout the coronavirus pandemic in Hubei Province.[157]
Filipino residents in Sabah are being channelled monetary aid by the Filipino government through the "DOLE-AKAP Cash Assistance" while
Indonesian residents in the state were also given aid through their government consulate-general office in the form of essential items aid.[158][159]