COVID: Infection trend in Labuan changes from susceptible individuals to groups

 LABUAN, May 21  -- The trend of the COVID-19 infection on this duty-free island has changed significantly from susceptible individuals to groups.

Labuan COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) chairman Rithuan Ismail said this was proven from the sudden spike in the number of positive cases involving family members and friends in the past couple of days.

Labuan today recorded 84 cases compared to 17 yesterday, taking its total infections to 2,638.

“We expect positive cases to surge drastically this week, with the mass screening of several families by Labuan healthcare personnel.

“The number of positive cases (detected) through the RTK-antigen and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests showed that a large number involved family members and friends who were at family gatherings, made house-to-house Hari Raya visits and visited Ramadan bazaars,” he told Bernama after visiting the COVID-19 quarantine centre at the Labuan Corporation Multipurpose Hall here today.

He said that the highest number of positive cases was being recorded from family members and close friends instead of travellers.

Rithuan also said that Labuan had the highest COVID-19 infectivity rate or R-naught (Rt) in the country at 1.43.

Meanwhile, Labuan Health Department director Dr Ismuni Bohari said the vaccination centre (PPV) at the Labuan Corporation Multipurpose Hall, which had been converted into a temporary quarantine centre, would take in nearly 100 persons under investigation (PUI) today, namely those who were detected to be positive through the RTK-Antigen and PCR tests.

The quarantine centre will have a capacity of 150 beds and will be divided into two sections, for men and women.

 “This quarantine centre and the one at Bahagian Teknologi Pendidikan Tinggi (BTPN) hostel in Jalan Sungai Lada are for low-risk patients, whereas several blocks at the Labuan Nucleus Hospital are for high-risk patients,” he explained.

He said the quarantine centre at the BTPN hostel, which has a capacity of 80 beds, was now 80 per cent full, while the Labuan Nucleus Hospital has already reached its capacity of 120 beds, with the patients’ wards and nurses’ hostel being turned into isolation rooms.

“For now, the three centres have a capacity of between 300 and 350 beds for PUI. We hope the number of PUI will not exceed that,” he said.

-- BERNAMA