Uggah stressing a point during the press conference while State Health director Dr Chin Zin Hing looks on. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (Aug 18): Sarawak recorded its fourth consecutive day of zero positive Covid-19 cases today, maintaining the total number of positive cases in the state at 682, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
He also announced that a Covid-19 patient has recovered and was allowed to be discharged from Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) today.
“This brings the total number of recoveries to 660 or 96.77 per cent out of the overall cases,” he told reporters at the state’s Covid-19 press conference.
The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman also pointed out that seven Covid-19 clusters remain active in the state namely the Engineering Company Cluster which still has eight cases; Mambong Cluster (7); Stutong Market Cluster (7); Sentosa Cluster (31); Melbourne PUI Cluster (3); Kuching Construction Company Cluster (2); and Satok Market Cluster (4).
“Currently, three patients are still being treated at isolation wards and the death toll in Sarawak remains unchanged at 19 or 2.79 per cent of total cases,” he said.
On the number of person under investigation (PUI), he said 22 new cases were recorded today while one case is pending lab test results.
Meanwhile, Uggah said to date, a total of 22 health facilities identified throughout the state have taken 1,884 samples for Covid-19 test among Influenze-Like Illness (ILI) cases from April to August this year.
“Of the total, one positive sample was detected in Sibu in April while 1,875 samples have turned up negative and another eight samples are still pending lab test results,” he added.
He also said five Ministry of Health clinics in Kuching division were identified to conduct Surveillance Respiratory Symptoms starting July 20.
“A total of 316 samples were taken for Covid-19 rT-PCR test and all results were negative for Covid-19,” he said.
On surveillance at markets, he said 2,399 samples were taken at 14 markets in Kuching, Sibu and Sarikei where out of the samples, 11 tests turned up positive and 2,388 were negative.
He said random screenings were also carried out at 152 construction sites around the state namely Kota Samarahan division (11 sites), Serian (5), Sri Aman (4), Betong (7), Sarikei (4), Sibu (4), Kapit (4), Mukah (16), Bintulu (33), Miri (59), and Limbang (5).
“A total of 1,439 samples for Covid-19 rT-PCR test were taken and out of this, 1,029 samples were from Malaysians and 410 samples were from foreigners with permits.
“The results of this screening found one positive sample from the construction site in Samarahan division while 1,438 samples were negative,” he said.
Random screenings were also carried out at 44 plantations in Lundu (7), Sri Aman (10), Mukah (8), Betong (10) and Bintulu (9) of which 277 samples were from Malaysians and 327 samples were from foreigners with permits.
“Out of the total, 569 samples turned up negative while another 35 samples are pending lab test results,” said Uggah.
He also said 175 fishermen from Sibu and Betong divisions were screened for Covid-19 and their results were all negative.
Also present were Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah and State Health director Dr Chin Zin Hing.