Covid-19: Govt may ramp up vaccinations in Labuan, says Dr Adham

PUTRAJAYA: The government will consider ramping up the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Labuan, as there has been a surge in infections there lately, says Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.

The Health Minister said Labuan is a busy industrial hub with constant signing-on and signing-off activities involving workers on the island.

"Economic activity in Labuan is very active and people come in and out of the island regularly, especially from Sabah and Sarawak, due to industry, especially oil and gas.

"I am confident that the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force will consider Labuan's situation as an industrial area and implement a more targeted vaccination programme there.

"This will be discussed when the Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee meetings," said Dr Adham, at his weekly joint press conference with coordinating minister of the national Covid-19 immunisation programme Khairy Jamaluddin On Tuesday (May 25).

Dr Adham said one of the clusters contributing to the rise in infections in Labuan is the Layangan cluster.

"The Layangan Cluster originated from several foreigners who flew into Labuan from Kuala Lumpur.

"The infection has spread amongst the community and now we are witnessing a surge in cases.

"To cope with the increase in cases, we have built additional quarantine centres at hospital facilities, as well as public buildings," said Dr Adham.

On Monday (May 24), Labuan's infectivity rate was the highest in the country out of all states with an RT value of 1.76.

The national figure on the same day was 1.21.