KOTA KINABALU:The Sabah government has decided to enforce the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in the Telipok Settlement and Kampung Numbak from midnight yesterday until Nov 29.

State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said that based on the advice and risk assessment conducted by the Ministry of Health, the Sabah State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) meeting agreed to impose the EMCO in both areas and in accordance with the same standard operating procedure (SOP) previously announced for areas placed under the EMCO.

"Sundry shops are allowed to open from 6 am to 6 pm while markets are allowed to operate twice a week from 6 am to 2 pm so as to give residents the opportunity to buy essential items," he said in a statement yesterday.

Masidi, who is also the state COVID-19 spokesperson, said only one member from each a family would be allowed to leave the EMCO area for the purpose of withdrawing money from auto-teller machines with prior permission from authorities manning the entrances and exits of the two localities.

According to a report by the State Health Department, Sabah recorded 381 new positive COVID-19 cases today, bringing the cumulative tally to 23,095, with three deaths recorded, namely two in the Sandakan district and one in Semporna.

Kota Kinabalu recorded 95 cases, followed by Tawau (65), Sandakan (51), Semporna (48) and Lahad Datu (34), said Masidi, who added that a total of 169,345 food baskets had been distributed to the target groups so far.