Uggah (right) and Minister of Local Government and Housing Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian at the press conference.
KUCHING: Sentosa Hospital the centre of the Covid-19 Sentosa cluster is closed to the public, says State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
Random tests will be expanded and contact tracing will be intensified for the Sentosa cluster which now has a total of 16 Covid-19 cases including eight new ones yesterday, he told a press conference.
The random tests for those residing in areas surrounding Hospital Sentosa will begin today (July 25), he said.
To-date 643 individuals linked to the cluster had been screened and swabbed for rT-PCR test.
“Out of the figure, a total of 16 or 2.49 per cent of them were tested positive with the Covid-19 virus. All of today (Friday)’s cases were referred to the Sarawak General Hospital for treatment while all contacts linked to them had been ordered to undergo self quarantine for 14 days,” he said.
The Sentosa Hospital staff will undergo screening on the third and 13th day before release order for them to continue work could be issued, he said.
For non-staff contacts they would have to undergo another screening on the 13th day of the quarantine period before release order could be issued for them, said Uggah.
On another pertinent matter, Uggah said travellers must undergo the 14-day quarantine at their last destination, for instance Kuala Lumpur, before entering the state.
He said he has brought to the federal government’s attention cases of travellers who were tested negative at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) but subsequently, tested positive after entering the state.
To-date a total of 1,989 premises comprising shops (432), restaurants (376), factories (21), banks (155), government offices (71), stalls (53), public agricultural markets (83), recreational premises (78), public meeting places (62), construction sites (36) and others (622) had been inspected.
The police had issued 33 compound notices throughout the state against those who defied the standard operating procedures (SoPs). Most of these notices were issued in Miri at 17, Kuching (6), Lawas (6), Sarikei (2), Samarahan (1) and Padawan (1).
Six roadblocks at five districts were set up yesterday alone. These were held at Lundu (2), Bau (1), Serian (1), Sri Aman (1) and Lubok Antu (1). From these roadblocks, a total of 752 vehicles had been checked.
“Members of the public have been advised not to be complacent and continue to be vigilant apart from making sure that guidelines and advises are adhered to at all times. Those in high risk like toddlers, children, the aged and the physically challenged had to be protected and those who got sick must immediately seek medical attention,” he said.
He also said that people must continue to practise social distancing in effort to break the chain of the virus transmission.