KOTA KINABALU, February 15 — The number of Covid-19 infections in Sabah finally fell to under 100 for the first time in four months, recording only 97 cases today.

The Borneo state had sparked the third wave of the coronavirus epidemic in Malaysia after its state election last September. At its worst, the state recorded 1,199 cases on November 6 last year, and remained in the three digits for weeks after.

"This is the lowest number we’ve had in months,” Sabah Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Masidi Manjun said this evening.

The state minister urged Sabahans not to get carried away by the plunge in cases but maintain their vigilance and practise the health standard operating procedures.

Masidi also said that the numbers did not mean that there was no Chinese New Year spike as the incubation period of the virus was around 10 days.

"People have been asking me, does this mean there is no infection during Chinese New Year? No, the incubation period is within 10 days, so any spread of the virus from day one and day two of Chinese New Year will only show in a week or so.

"So we will see in seven to eight days, whether Sabahans have safely broken the chain of infection or will it be a repeat of the Christmas festivities spike,” he said.

Masidi dismissed a suggestion that the long Chinese New Year weekend could have contributed to the fall in cases.

"Just because it’s Chinese New Year does not mean the frontliners are working less. The number of tests before and during the festive new year are about the same,” he said.

He also rubbished another question that the decline in infection cases were due to a shortage of test kits or fewer screenings conducted.

"As far as we are concerned, at least in Sabah, testing is going on as usual,” he said.

Sabah has a total of 51,429 Covid-19 cases, just under a quarter of the national total.

Sabah’s infection cases have been declining since this month, starting at 276 on February 1.

The state is still among the highest number of total Covid 19 cases overall since the third wave started after the state polls in September, but has been recovering well under the movement control order with an inter-district and inter-state travel ban in place.