KOTA KINABALU: Lahad Datu district has been declared a Covid-19 red zone area after positive infections rose up to 42 cases yesterday.
Sabah Health Department director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi, in a statement, said the state recorded 10 new Covid-19 infections involving seven districts, bringing the tally to 303 cases.
Three infections were recorded in Lahad Datu, two cases in Tawau, and one each in Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Sandakan, Beaufort, and Tuaran.
Other Covid-19 red zone areas in Sabah are Tawau with 81 cases and Kota Kinabalu with 44 cases recorded as of yesterday.
"The three new infections in Lahad Datu are sporadic cases. These cases are detected through targeted screening on April 12," said Rundi, adding the Sandakan new case is also sporadic.
For Tawau, she noted one of the cases was from other tabligh cluster, while another from Sri Petaling tabligh kluster.
For the new case in Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, and Penampang, Rundi noted the infections were from the first-generation contacts of health members, while a case in Beaufort was from those that attended a gathering in Makassar, Indonesia.
Meanwhile in the state's east coast, marine police were beefing up sea patrol in Lahad Datu, Semporna, and Kunak to help minimise unnecessary movement of people and to remind maritime community to comply with movement control order (MCO).
Sabah marine chief Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Pajeri Ali said 170 officers and personnel were despatched to conduct 24-hour surveillance, which also focuses on curbing threats of foreign elements and cross-border crime including smuggling of illegal immigrants.
Throughout the surveillance at the three coastal districts yesterday, he said the team found 15 fishing boats operating at sea, adding these vessels are allowed by the state government to conduct fishing activities and to transport clean water supply.