Virus found at football event

Tawau match participants and fans told to undergo test

PETALING JAYA: Those who were involved in a football competition at the Tawau Prison field and Tawau Municipal Council stadium recently, including spectators, should go for a Covid-19 test immediately, says Tawau health officer Dr G. Navindran.

He said that about 100 people turned up for the Covid-19 test at the Tawau health clinic in Kubota yesterday after being instructed to do so.

“The tests were conducted from 8am for all those involved in the competition,” he said.

On Saturday, the Tawau health office issued a notice requesting all players, spectators and those involved in the nine-a-side football competition on Aug 28, Aug 29 and Sept 2 at the Tawau Prison field and Aug 30 and Aug 31 at the council stadium to take a Covid-19 test.

The call to undergo the test was made after one of the referees, who is also a Tawau Prison officer, was found positive for the coronavirus.

All those present in both locations have been told to come forward or call 019-605 3475 or 016472 9314.

In a related development, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said six new Covid-19 cases were reported yesterday.

“There were three imported and three local cases, bringing the total infection to 9,397 cases,” he said in a statement.

The imported cases involved two foreigners from Indonesia and one from Bangladesh.

“Of the local transmissions, two were from the Benteng Lahad Datu cluster in Sabah while another case involved a patient with severe acute respiratory infection in Penang,” he said.

So far, Dr Noor Hisham said a total of 776 people in the cluster had been screened with 16 of them testing positive.

He also said six Covid-19 patients were still being treated at the intensive care units and three needing the support of ventilators.

The death toll remains at 128.