Cumulative cases breach 20,000

KUCHING: Sarawak’s cumulative Covid-19 cases breached the 20,000-mark yesterday after it recorded 443 new infections, said State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

He said no additional Covid-19 deaths were recorded, leaving the cumulative death toll unchanged at 124.

Bintulu topped the list of daily infections with 89 cases followed by Sibu (83), Miri (61), Julau (43), Kapit (32), Mukah (31), Kuching (26), and Sarikei (22).

“There were also 15 districts which recorded single-digit cases namely Matu (7), Samarahan (7), Meradong (7), Subis (6), Serian (6), Kabong (5), Beluru (3), Belaga (3), Betong (3), Bukit Mabong (3), Kanowit (2), Saratok (1), Tanjung Manis (1), Tatau (1) and Sebauh (1).

“The total number of positive cases in the state has now increased to 20,001,” he told a press conference.

The Deputy Chief Minister said only 40 individuals out of the 443 new cases had shown signs and symptoms of Covid-19 infection when screenings were conducted.

“There were also 351 cases detected from individuals who were instructed to be quarantined at quarantine centres,” he said.

On the case breakdown, he said 248 cases were from screenings of individuals with contact to positive cases; 101 cases from existing active clusters; 73 cases from other screening at health facilities; and 19 cases from symptomatic individual screenings at health facilities.

“There was also one Import A case involving an individual who had returned from Indonesia and one Import B case from an individual who had returned from another state in the country, he added.

He said all of Bintulu’s new cases were traced from screenings of contacts to positive cases with the exception of one detected from other screenings whereas in Sibu, 60 cases were from other screenings; 16 from the Bulatan Aman Cluster; five from screenings of contacts to positive cases; one from the Jalan Maju Cluster; and one from surveillance at health facilities.

“Miri also recorded a majority of its cases from screenings of contacts to positive cases with 51 while four were detected from screenings of symptomatic individuals and three from other screenings.

“The district also recorded three cases which were linked to active clusters namely the Abak Bon Cluster (2) and the Jalan Bangunan Kerajaan Cluster (1),” he said.

In Julau, the district recorded 35 cases from the Nanga Kelangas Cluster and eight from screenings of contacts to positive cases while Kapit’s cases were from screenings of contacts to positive cases (30) and screenings of symptomatic individuals (2).

Uggah said Mukah registered 16 cases which were linked to the Jalan Bambangan Cluster and 15 from screenings of contacts to positive cases.

“In Kuching, nine cases were from the Kampung Binyu Cluster; nine from screenings of contacts to positive cases; six from other screenings as well as one Import A and Import B case,” he said.

He said Sarikei recorded 10 cases from screenings of contacts to positive cases; eight from Jalan Baji Cluster; and four from screenings of symptomatic individuals while Samarahan recorded four from screenings of contacts to positive cases; two from the Jalan Badarudin Cluster; and one from screenings of symptomatic individuals.

“Meradong recorded four from screenings of contacts to positive cases; two from screenings of symptomatic individuals and one from surveillance at health facilities while Serian recorded three cases from screenings of contacts to positive cases and screenings of symptomatic individuals respectively,” he said.

Subis’ cases were from screenings of contacts to positive cases (4); and the Abak Bon Cluster (2) while in Kabong, the district recorded four cases linked to the

Kampung Binyu Cluster and one from other screenings.

“In Betong and Saratok, all cases in the districts have been linked to the Disso Cluster whereas in Beluru, two cases were from screenings of contacts to positive cases and one from the Jalan Bangunan Kerajaan Cluster,” said Uggah.

Bukit Mabong recorded two cases from screenings of symptomatic individuals and one from screenings of contacts to positive cases while the sole case in Tanjung Manis was traced from screenings of symptomatic individuals.

All cases recorded in Matu, Belaga, Kanowit, Tatau and Sebauh were detected from screenings of contacts to positive cases.

On the recovery of Covid-19 patients, Uggah said 333 had recovered today of which 88 were discharged from Bintulu Hospital; 87 from Sarawak General Hospital (SGH); 57 from Sarikei Hospital; 37 from Sibu Hospital; 34 from Miri Hospital; 11 from the quarantine and low-risk patients treatment centre (PKRC) in Serian; seven from PKRC Betong; six from PKRC under Kapit Hospital; three from PKRC under Sri Aman Hospital; one from PKRC in Semuja, PKRC under Lawas Hospital and PKRC under Mukah Hospital.

“The total number of recoveries in the state has now increased to 16,244 or 81.22 per cent out of the overall cases,” he said.

He also said that 3,572 patients were still being isolated and treated at hospitals and PKRCs throughout the state, where 741 were being treated at Sibu Hospital and PKRC Sibu; 765 at Bintulu Hospital and PKRC Bintulu; 574 at Miri Hospital and PKRC Miri; 378 at Sarikei Hospital and PKRC Sarikei; 375 at SGH and PKRC Kuching; 278 at Sri Aman Prison PKRC; 139 at Kapit Hospital and PKRC Kapit; 126 at PKRC Mukah; 85 at PKRC Serian; 54 at Sri Aman Hospital and PKRC Sri Aman; 38 at Betong Hospital and PKRC Betong; 10 at Limbang Hospital; seven at Semuja Immigration Depo PKRC in Serian and two at PKRC Lawas.

A total of 443 new person under investigation (PUI) cases were also reported with two pending lab test results.