S’wak records 13 new Covid-19 cases, including 10 imported transmissions

KUCHING: Sarawak recorded 13 new positive Covid-19 cases yesterday, consisting of three locally-transmitted cases and 10 imported cases.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the local infections were two cases recorded in Kuching, and one case in Miri.

The imported cases were recorded in Kuching (three cases), Miri (four), Bintulu (two), and Pusa (one).

“This brings the total number of positive cases in Sarawak to 1,161 cases,” Uggah, who is also the State Disaster Management Committee ( SDMC) chairman, told a press conference here yesterday.

He said the locally-transmitted cases in Kuching involved Case 1,153 – a Sarawakian man who was detected through contacttracing activities and could have had close contact with previously reported cases involving the Stutong Cluster in Kuching District.

“The case was screened on Jan 3, and found positive the following day.

“He was an indirect social contact to Case 1,118.

“The asymptomatic patient has since been admitted to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for further treatment,” he said, adding that further investigation and tracing of other contacts were being carried out by the Kuching Division Health Office.

The other case in Kuching (Case 1,158) involved a Sarawakian woman, who went for Covid-19 screening at a private hospital here on Jan 4, after having suffered from headaches and sore throat since Dec 29 last year, added Uggah.

“The patient was treated at a private clinic in Kuching on Dec 29, but her symptoms did not subside. On Jan 1, her condition worsened – she lost her sense of smell.

“She underwent Covid-19 testing on Jan 4, and was found positive on the same day,” he said, noting that this case had no prior contact with any positive Covid-19 case and she had not travelled abroad or gone to highrisk infection areas in other states around the country.

“This case is still under further investigation and tracing of all contacts are underway.”

The third local infection case reported in Miri involved Case 1,149 – a Sarawakian woman who was screened after having social contact with Case 1,116, said Uggah.

“The case, who is asymptomatic, was screened on Jan 3 and found positive for Covid-19 on Jan 4.

“She is in Miri Hospital, receiving further treatment.

“This case is under further investigation and tracing of all contacts are being actively carried out by the Miri Division Health Office.”

On the three imported cases in Kuching, Uggah said Case 1,150 involved a Sarawakian man who had returned from Johor Baharu.

“Upon arrival at Kuching International Airport (KIA) on Jan 2, he was instructed to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine at the quarantine centre, and also took the RT-PCR test which found him to be Covid-19 positive.”

Uggah said for Case 1,151, it involved a Sarawakian boy who arrived at KIA with his family members on Jan 2, and was admitted to the quarantine centre to undergo the mandatory quarantine.

“Covid-19 screening was taken on Jan 2 and he was found to be positive on Jan 4,” he added.

According to Uggah, cases 1,150 and 1,151 are asymptomatic and both have been admitted to SGH.

“These cases are categorised as ‘Import B’ cases as they were infected at a high-risk Covid-19 infection area,” he added.

The other case was Case 1,152, involving an Indonesian woman who went for Covid-19 screening before being accepted to work, said Uggah.

“She went for the screening on Jan 4 at a private hospital in Kuching, and tested positive via the RT-PCR test on the same day.

“The results of the investigation also found that the case did not have any record of entry data to Sarawak and she was also found to have dubious travel documents,” said Uggah, adding that the asymptomatic patient had been admitted to SGH.

He added that pending further investigations, including that to determine the confirmation of the Indonesian woman’s entry to Sarawak, this case had been categorised as ‘Import A’.

On Miri’s four imported cases, Uggah said Case 1,154 involved a Sarawakian man who had just returned after completing his official duties in Semporna, Sabah.

“He returned to Miri on Dec 25, 2020, and was admitted to a hotel quarantine centre for the mandatory 14-day quarantine. Prior to his return, he took the RTK Antigen test and was found to be negative for Covid-19.

“The case was also screened for the first time after entering Miri on Dec 27, 2020, where his RTPCR test result also came back negative. However, the second screening on Jan 2 found him to be positive after the test results came back on Jan 4,” he said.

The asymptomatic patient, whose case was categorised as ‘Import B’, had been admitted to Miri Hospital, said Uggah.

Cases 1,155, 1,156 and 1,157 cases involved three men from Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and

Pahang, respectively, who were screened as individuals who had just returned from Peninsular Malaysia, said Uggah.

“These cases, aged between 24 and 52, had entered the state for business purposes via Miri Airport from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA-2) on Dec 31, 2020.

“Upon arrival at the airport, they were instructed to undergo home-quarantine and to take the Covid-19 test. They had undergone their quarantine orders at a rented house in Taman Jelita.

“Covid-19 screening was conducted on Jan 2, and they tested positive on Jan 4. All of them are asymptomatic and have been admitted to Miri Hospital,” he said, adding that these cases had been categorised as ‘ Import B’.

Uggah said for the two imported cases in Bintulu, Case 1,159 involved a Sarawakian woman who arrived at Bintulu Airport via KLIA-2 on Jan 3.

“She had undergone the Covid19 screening and was asked to undergo quarantine for 10 days at a hotel quarantine centre.

“Screening conducted on Jan 3 found her to be positive. She is asymptomatic and has been admitted to Bintulu Hospital for further treatment,” he said.

On Case 1,160, Uggah said it involved a Sarawakian who had travelled to Selangor on Dec 31, and returned to Bintulu via KLIA on Jan 3.

“The case was instructed to undergo quarantine at a hotel quarantine centre for 14 days, and underwent Covid-19 screening on Jan 3, where the RT-PCR test result returned positive the next day.

“The case is asymptomatic and has been admitted to Bintulu Hosp[ital for further treatment,” he said. Meanwhile, Case 1,161 involved a boy from Johor who returned to Pusa, Betong with six other family members from Johor via Senai International Airport. They arrived at Sibu Airport on Dec 26.

“Upon arrival at Sibu Airport, the case underwent screening with his family members, and was given a quarantine bracelet and 14-day home quarantine order.

“The case and his family members were picked up by other family members from the airport, and they travelled to Pusa onboard a private vehicle.

“The screening test conducted on Dec 26, 2020 found that the case was negative on Dec 27, 2020.

“However, the second screening conducted on Jan 2 found him to be positive.

“The case, who is asymptomatic, has been admitted to Sibu Hospital for further treatment,” said Uggah, noting that contact-tracing of this case was underway.