DCM hopes Covid-19 case in Kapit to be ‘its first and last’
KAPIT: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing hopes that the sole Covid-19 positive case recorded in this district would be ‘the first and the last’.
In this respect, he said there must be a viable mechanism to monitor the movement of the people here, especially the foreign workers.
“The case is a cause of concern to all of us.
“It is important for incoming people to undergo the rT-PCR test to curb the spread of Covid19in Kapit.
“I hope this is an isolated case – the first and the last,” said Masing, who is Baleh assemblyman, during a meeting held at the conference room of Kapit Resident’s Office yesterday.
The meeting discussed the district’s first-recorded positive Covid-19 case which was detected at a road construction site in the Sungai Merama area, leading to Baleh.
Adding on, Masing pointed out during the meeting that he wanted to know the strategic steps taken to prevent the further spread of Covid-19 into Kapit.
Nevertheless, he also acknowledged the ‘invaluable contributions and sacrifices’ rendered by the frontliners, who had been fighting to keep the district free from Covid-19 throughout the most part of last year.
“I must thank all of you involved in the frontline duties. You’ve done pretty well over the past nine months in keeping Kapit’s Green Zone status.
“Now, it is up to us to continue our strict compliance with all the directives from Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) and the SOP (standard operating procedures) set by the authorities.
“Treat the situation very seriously; protect yourself and your families.”
In its daily update on Sunday, the SDMC said Kapit’s first Covid19 case involved an Indonesian man, aged 36, who had been working legally in Sarawak since 2018.
“The case (1,140) underwent Covid-19 screening on Dec 31, 2020, during an employee screening activity at the construction site, and his rT-PCR test was found to be positive on Jan 2.
“He is asymptomatic, and the case is categorised as a locally-transmitted,” said SDMC then.
Earlier in the meeting yesterday, Kapit Health officer Dr Hamidi Mohamad Sharkawi said Case 1,140 had frequented the construction site’s canteen and also several longhouses within a 2km-radius of the construction site.
“Altogether, there are 69 workers at the construction site, and within the 2km radius, there are five longhouses, a primary school SK Nanga Sempili and a logging camp.
“The longhouses are Rumah Saging, Rumah Sebuang, Rumah Itu, Rumah Sana and Rumah Bansa.
“For now, all the construction workers, those at the logging camp, and also the 183 residents of all five longhouses are under lockdown, as they under the RTPCR test for Covid-19,” said Dr Hamidi.
Meanwhile, Kapit Welfare officer Dariel Thiong said his team had arranged for packs of food and drinking water to be supplied to those affected by the lockdown.
The meeting yesterday also involved Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat, Kapit Resident Nyurak Keti, Sarawak administrative officers Bidah Lujah and Rolyn Terrance, Kapit police chief DSP Freddy Bian, Kapit divisional engineer Bujang Lanang, as well as local community leaders Temenggong Tan Kian Hoo, Temenggong Wasli Nor, Pemanca Abang Hamzah Abang Bolhasan, and Pemanca Yong Thu Fook.