The quiet atmosphere at the Youth and Sports Complex, which has been turned into a Covid-19 screening centre. — File photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah is urging those who have been identified to have had close contact with Covid-19 positive cases to come and report themselves to the nearest screening centres.
He said the Health Department has contacted them to come for screening and to be quarantined, but still many have yet to come forward.
“It is important for them to come forward and report themselves at the nearest screening centres. Till now there are still many of them who have been identified to have close or casual contact with positive cases but yet to come forward.
“They have been contacted by the Health Department by phone,” Abdul Karim said in a press conference giving the daily Covid-19 update here earlier today.
He however did not disclose any figures.
Meanwhile, he said the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) will be announcing new procedures on handling the person-under-surveillance (PUS) cases tomorrow (April 14).
He said as mentioned in yesterday’s (April 12) press conference, the SDMC is coming up with a new procedure to handle PUS cases because of the shortage of hotel rooms to accommodate them throughout the quarantine period.
“What I have proposed was while the PUSs are being isolated in their hotel rooms, their lab tests will be done within two or three days.
“If they show negative results, they are allowed to continue their 14-day quarantine at their respective homes.
“This will release the rooms for other PUSs who just came into the state,” said Abdul Karim.
On that note, Abdul Karim said SDMC is still discussing on which economic sectors to remain operational during the MCO period.
He said the committee had decided not to allow barber shops to open during the MCO period, in line with the federal government’s decision which was announced earlier today.
““The SDMC has decided that barber shops are to remain closed during the MCO period. As for other sectors, the committee is still discussing which ones can operate during the MCO, depending on the needs,” said Abdul Karim.