New Covid cases shoot up to 246

KUCHING: The number of new Covid-19 infections in Sarawak ballooned to 246 yesterday but no deaths were recorded.

Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said the new cases were detected in Sibu (171), Kapit (22), Julau (21), Samarahan (12), Kuching (8), Bintulu (6), Tatau (2), Miri (2) and one each in Dalat and Bau.

“The new cases bring the cumulative number of Covid19 cases in Sarawak to 6,832,” the deputy chief minister told a press conference here yesterday, when delivering the latest on the pandemic in the state.

Information provided by SDMC showed that out of the 171 new infections in Sibu District, 164 involved individuals screened through active case detection (ACD) while seven were from screening conducted at a healthcare centre.

In Kapit District, 12 of its new cases involved the Pasai Cluster; nine were from ACD; and one was screened at a healthcare centre.

All 21 new cases in Julau District involved the Nanga Lijan Cluster, while all 12 in Samarahan District were the result of ACD.

In Kuching District, seven cases were detected through ACD while one involved a healthcare worker who was infected in Sibu District.

The six new cases in Bintulu District comprised five from ACD and one from the Rakut Cluster, while Tatau’s two new cases were from screenings carried out at a healthcare centre.

Miri’s two cases were both detected through ACD, while the sole case in Dalat and Bau were from the Pasai Cluster and Tabong Cluster, respectively.

Meanwhile, Uggah informed there were 253 new recoveries reported across the state yesterday, with 91 at Miri Hospital, 71 at Sibu Hospital, 48 at Kapit Hospital, 32 at Sarawak General Hospital, 10 at Bintulu Hospital, and one at Kapit Hospital.

“As of today (yesterday), a total of 4,954 or 72.51 per cent of total cases have been discharged from hospital,” he said.

He added that 1,789 individuals remain under treatment, with 910 in Sibu Hospital, 361 in Miri Hospital, 162 in Kapit Hospital, 138 in Bintulu Hospital,136 in Sarawak General Hospital, 76 in Sarikei Hospital, two each in Limbang Hospital and Saratok Hospital, and one each in Sri Aman Hospital and Lawas Hospital.

On person-under-investigation (PUI), he said 246 new cases were reported yesterday with just one still awaiting lab test result.

As for person-under-surveillance (PUS), Uggah said 349 individuals checked into designated quarantine centres for their compulsory quarantine yestereday.

“This brings the total current PUS to 5,259 individuals at 84 hotels and non-hotel quarantine centres statewide,” he said.

The Covid-19 death toll in Sarawak stood at 61 as of yesterday.