An APM personnel ensures an arriving passenger at Sibu Airport has completed the e-health declaration form in this file photo.
KUCHING: The State Health Department, through the Bintulu Division Health Office, has clarified that it acted immediately once it received information on the results of the rT-PCR swab test of the Sandakan positive case, contrary to allegations posted in a Facebook group.
In a statement today, the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) responded to allegations made by a Facebook user in the Sarawak Covid-19 Awareness Group on Sept 18, accusing the Bintulu Division Health Office of appearing not to have done contact tracing of the case that was detected in Sandakan, Sabah on Sept 15 and who had entered Sarawak on Sept 11 through Lawas, Limbang, Brunei, Miri before spending a night in Bintulu and heading towards Belaga.
The user also questioned why the State Health Department did not register the case in Sarawak, and at the same time also questioned the credibility of the State Health Department in dealing with the case.
SDMC said it takes such allegations seriously, as it seems to question the credibility of the administration done by the State Disaster Management Committee, saying that it has made announcement of the case in their media statements on Sept 17 and 18.
“The State Health Department, through the Bintulu Division Health Office, acted as soon as it received information related to the results of the rT-PCR swab test of the case from the Sandakan Area Health Office, Sabah on Sept 15.
“Covid-19 screening was also conducted on all identified contacts, including officers on duty at entry points, who may have been exposed during the check-in or check-out process. Contact tracing was also carried out at the food stall where the case stopped by in Miri, the hotel where he stayed in Bintulu and all the premises he had visited,” it said.
SDMC informed that the State Health Department through the Ministry of Health’s Focal Point has also informed the Brunei’s National Health Department about this case.
“In Belaga, the Kapit Division Health Office has also screened all factory and farm workers who had contact with this case.
“In addition, because this case has also visited Mukah on September 13, contact tracing and screening have also been done at places there by the Mukah Division Health Office,” it explained.
In total, 87 direct or indirect close contacts were detected and screened for Covid-19 in regard to this case.
“Three close contacts were detected and screened in Lawas, 18 persons in Miri, 13 persons in Bintulu, 48 in Belaga and five in Mukah.
“All contacts had their first swab taken and as of today, all swabs taken tested negative rT-PCR for Covid-19. The rT-PCR swab screening test will be repeated on the 10th day for all these contacts. They have also been given a Quarantine Order for 14 days,” SDMC said.
As such, SDMC stressed that the State Health Office had taken all measures to trace the contacts to this casem even though the case was registered in Sandakan as it was detected there, and not in Sarawak even though the case was treated at Bintulu Hospital.
“It has been agreed upon by the ministry and the Sabah State Health Department to register cases where they are found positive,” it added.