Sarawak buys test kits for Wuhan coronavirus to hasten results

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Douglas Uggah Embas

KUCHING: Sarawak is buying a Rapid Blood Test Kit (RBTK) to expeditiously verify suspected Wuhan coronavirus cases in the state, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

With the kit, he said there would no longer a need to send samples from patients for tests in laboratories in Kuala Lumpur as per the current procedure.

He told a press conference after chairing the state disaster management committee meeting today that the kit should be available for use in the state within a week.

“With the RBTK we would be able to get the test results within 12 hours or so, because at the moment we have to send our samples to Kuala Lumpur for testing and would take up to 36 hours,” said Uggah.

He said Unimas will lend its facility for the test to be carried out once the kit is available.

According to State Disaster Management Committee deputy chairman Datu Ik Pahon Joyik, each RBTK costs around RM10,000, and the state will buy one first.

Ik also revealed that one kit can test up to 96 samples.

Meanwhile, Sarawak is also buying two more thermal scanners, which would be placed at the Bintulu and Sibu airports which have none at the moment.

Uggah said the RM120,000-each scanners will be arriving at their designated airports within two weeks and start operating immediately.

‘We want them to be delivered as soon as possible. After this all our airports will have at least a scanner in place,” he said.

Uggah also revealed that the committee will be distributing a self-declaration form to all airlines flying into Sarawak immediately.

He said international passengers will have to fill in the form on board the flight, before handing the form to the immigration officers at the checkpoints at the airport before entering Sarawak.

At the same time, Uggah said medical officers will also be nearby to double check the forms and take necessary action when needed.

“Not only airlines, the forms will also be available at all entry points including Tebedu (Sarawak-Kalimantan border) and Labuan ferry point (near Limbang),” he said.