‘Wait for Education Ministry announcement on school closure’

KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah has urged parents to wait for official announcement from the federal Education Ministry on closure of schools in Kuching which is now a Covid-19 red zone.

Uggah, who is also Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman, said he noted there are public concerns over the matter because only two schools have been directed to close so far.

“The Education Ministry will make the announcement later on the status of schools in Kuching

“There is a lot of public concern and they want to know, because we only announced two schools to be closed.

“The public are questioning whether other schools in Kuching will also be closed. So, we all wait for the announcement,” he said at the daily Covid-19 update yesterday.

SDMC in a statement on Monday (Oct 26) announced that Sarawak Education Department has issued a directive to close two schools for seven days following reports of positive Covid-19 cases from there recently.

The two schools are SMK Wira Penrissen in Kota Samarahan and SK Jalan Haji Baki here.

The closure took effect starting Oct 26 till Nov 1 to allow disinfecting operations to be done, said the committee.

On Oct 25, a student from SMK Wira Penrissen or Case 790 was found positive for Covid-19 after being in close contact with Case 768 and Case 770 from the Baki Cluster during a family gathering between Oct 4 and 5.

An SK Jalan Haji Baki student or Case 803 was found positive on Oct 26 for being in close contact with his mother Case 802, who was a family member of Case 789 who was a close contact to the Baki Cluster. He had flu symptoms.

Both cases have been isolated and warded at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for treatment.