KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 — The Education Ministry has closed all schools in Sabah until October 25 as a precaution given the state’s critical Covid-19 situation.

The ministry said it made the decision following a meeting of a special National Security Council meeting specifically on Sabah.

"Seeing that (Covid-19) cases in the state are still rising, the meeting agreed that the Education Ministry should evaluate the need to close all schools in the state.

"Consequently, the ministry has decided to close all schools in Sabah from October 10 until October 25,” the ministry said in a statement.

However, it said students in boarding schools must remain at their respective hostels but gave its assurance that school administrators would cater fully to the students’ needs and wellbeing.

Classes would also shift online for the period.

Sabah has become the epicentre of the country’s third wave of Covid-19 cases, with hundreds of cases reported daily.

The rise in cases there has also been accompanied by a worrying increase in Covid-19 deaths, with six reported yesterday alone.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor was also confirmed to have contracted Covid-19 yesterday.

Cases in Sabah exploded after it was forced into a premature state election last month, which caused a subsequent spread to the rest of the country.