Tightening brake on Covid-19
SDMC imposes more restrictive measures as Sarawak records 27 new cases — most since April
We appeal for the cooperation of everyone to play their part in controlling the spread of Covid-19, especially in Kuching where there has been surge in cases. Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah
KUCHING: The Sarawak Disaster Management Commi ee (SDMC) has come up with extra restrictions following the rise in the number of Covid-19 positive cases here in recent days.
Food outlets and bistros in Kuching district, which was declared a Covid-19 red zone on Tuesday, can now only operate from 6am to 10pm.
SDMC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said this directive takes effect today (Oct 29).
He also announced that all public and private gymnasiums in Kuching district are to be closed to the public with immediate effect.
“These are decisions made by the SDMC following the spike of positive cases in Kuching,” said Uggah, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, during a Covid-19 press conference yesterday.
Regarding official and social functions which involve mass gatherings, Uggah said SDMC has decided that a maximum of 200 persons are allowed for such functions in Kuching district.
“SDMC would like to stress to the organisers to ensure hand sanitisers are provided, physical distancing is practised and all the a endees must wear face masks,” he said.
He also clarified that the entertainment outlets ordered to be closed as announced by him on Tuesday included pubs, bars, lounges, discotheques, dance halls, cabarets and karaoke outlets.
Uggah had announced on Tuesday that all entertainment outlets and reflexology centres throughout Sarawak are to be closed to the public effective yesterday (Oct 28) until further notice following the decision made by SDMC.
“We appeal for the cooperation of everyone to play their part in controlling the spread of Covid-19, especially in Kuching where there has been surge in cases.
“With the cooperation of everyone, hopefully we can change the status of Kuching from red zone to yellow zone and eventually to green zone again,” he said.
Uggah said Sarawak yesterday recorded 27 new Covid-19 cases, of which 20 were detected in Kuching district, four in Miri, two in Sibu and one in Bintulu.
He said this raised the cumulative number of cases in the state to 846, with a new cluster – dubbed Green Hill Cluster – also detected in Kuching.
“For the 20 new cases in Kuching, all were locally transmi ed, of which 14 cases are contacts to Case 798 reported on Oct 26, who is now the index case for the Green Hill Cluster.
“These 14 cases were social contacts who had a history of meeting up with Case 798 in several gatherings or parties in Kuching city. All these (14) cases underwent rT-PCR screening at a private medical facility in Kuching, and they tested positive on Oct 27,” he told a press conference.
As for the six other new cases in Kuching, the deputy chief minister said they comprised individuals who underwent Covid-19 tests voluntarily at a private medical facility here.
“They (six cases) are aged from 19 to 54 years, and did not have any travel history to high-risk Covid-19 areas.
“Further investigation and contact tracing are now ongoing. Until the source of infection is identified, these cases are categorised as locally infected cases,” he said.
On the other new cases in Sarawak, Uggah said they comprised four in Miri of which three are Import B cases and one Import C case; two Import B cases in Sibu; and one Import A case in Bintulu.
The state Health Department categorises import cases as ‘Import A’ for those from overseas, ‘ Import B’ for cases from other states in Malaysia, and ‘ Import C’ for cases from other districts in the state.
Regarding the cases in Miri, Uggah said three cases were colleagues who arrived in Miri from Kuala Lumpur to sign on at an oil platform.
“They arrived at Miri Airport on Oct 25 and underwent quarantine. They took the rTPCR test shortly after arrival and their test result found all of them to be positive for Covid-19. They are categorised as cases infected from a high-risk area, or Import B,” he added.
On the Import C case in Miri, he said it involved a local man with travel history to Kuching on Oct 21 who had met with Case 818 who was a contact of Case 798.
He added this case experienced symptoms such as fever, cough and sore throat.
For the two Import B cases, Uggah said these involved individuals who had returned from high-risk areas.
Both of them arrived at Sibu Airport on Oct 25, underwent rTPCR test and were undergoing the compulsory 14-day quarantine when their test results returned positive, he said.
He said one case involved a man who is a frontliner with travel history to Selangor, who is experiencing fever and lost sense of smell.
The other Import B case in Sibu involved a local woman who is a student in Johor, who had symptoms of cough and fever.
Both cases have been admitted to Sibu Hospital for further treatment.
Regarding the sole Import A case in Bintulu, Uggah said it involved a Filipino man who was working on a Malaysian registered Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carrier.
“This case did not show any symptoms. He arrived in Malaysia from the Philippines on Sept 27 and underwent quarantine in Kuala Lumpur. His first rT-PCR test on Sept 27 was negative.
“He then proceeded to travel to Bintulu on Oct 15 and was directed to undergo quarantine there. The second rT-PCR test was carried out on Oct 25 and his test returned Covid-19 positive. This case is categorised as Import A or imported from overseas based on his earlier travel history.”
Meanwhile, Uggah reported two new recoveries yesterday – both at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) – which brought the cumulative number of Covid19 recoveries in the state to 738 or 87.23 per cent of the total number of cases.
“The number of cases still being treated at isolation wards are 89 persons comprising 81 at SGH, five at Miri Hospital, two at Sibu Hospital and one at Bintulu Hospital.
“There are no Covid-19 patients treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU),” he said.
With no new deaths reported, the Covid-19 death toll in the state stands at 19 persons or 2.25 per cent of the total number of cases.