Douglas Uggah Embas
KUCHING: One Covid-19 case was reported in Sarawak today involving a local man in Sibu who just got back from Saudi Arabia.
According to Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, the man arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on July 3 and underwent a Rapid Test Kit (RTK) antigen kit for the virus before returning via a connecting flight to Sibu.
The test returned a negative result before he returned to Sibu on July 4 and was quarantined at a hotel there.
The man, who works as an engineer in the oil and gas industry, was tested again on July 6 while undergoing quarantine and was found to be positive with Covid-19, and has been sent to Sibu Hospital for treatment, said Uggah.
“Sarawak’s policy is for people returning from overseas through KLIA to undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test while being quarantined at hotels.
“If the PCR test shows negative results, they are allowed to continue their 14 days quarantine at home,” said Uggah during the daily Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) Covid-19 press conference here today.
This is the 573rd positive case in Sarawak. No recovery and discharged cases were reported in the state today, and the death toll for Sarawak remained at 17.
Uggah said since June 23, all five new positive cases in the state were imported.
He said all five cases underwent RTK antigen tests upon arrival at KLIA and all showed negative results before returning to Sarawak.
Upon arrival in the state, he said they have to undergo quarantine at designated hotels first and undergo the more accurate PCR test.
“The recent imported cases we had were: one in Miri returning from Tunisia, two in Bintulu returning from Mexico and United Kingdom respectively, and two in Sibu returning from United Kingdom and today’s case from Saudi Arabia.
“Therefore it is Sarawak’s policy for those returning from overseas to undergo mandatory PCR test and quarantine at designated hotels until their results are out.
“If their results are negative, they can continue their 14-day quarantine at home, where on the 10th day they have to undergo a second test,” said Uggah.
Meanwhile, SDMC also recorded 18 new persons-under-investigation (PUI) cases today, with eight still waiting for lab test results.
Uggah also mentioned that SDMC recorded 78 new persons-under-surveillance (PUS) cases totalling 667 being quarantined at 11 hotels statewide.