Grocers, convenience stores and canteens in Sabah hospitals allowed to open 24 hours

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has decided to allow grocery and convenience stores as well as canteens (for takeaways) in government or private hospitals to operate round the clock with immediate effect.

State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said permission for these facilities to operate 24 hours came through the state disaster management committee.

In a statement on Wednesday (June 9), he said Sabah recorded 232 new cases, a reduction from 350 cases the day before.

"The significant decrease was due to the control of massive cluster infections, preventing their spread to outside communities.

"However, we saw a reduction to one green zone only, namely Beluran district," he said.

Tongod district was also a green zone on Tuesday.

Two new clusters were reported on Wednesday, one in Kuala Penyu dubbed Lot Sembilan, and one in the state capital, the Jalan Wisma cluster.

The Lot Sembilan index case is a 36-year-old Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) employee and close contact screenings found 11 others, including four colleagues who travelled back and forth with the Labuan AIM office, infected.

The cluster spread to family members and cumulative cases now stand at 24.

"The cluster in Kota Kinabalu meanwhile involved seven workers of B-Bang Capsule Hotel in the city centre, where the index case is a 24-year-old cook. Six samples are still awaiting results," said Masidi.