KUCHING (Oct 14): Sarawak recorded three new imported cases of Covid-19 today, bringing the total number of positive cases in the state to 755.
“The cases were each recorded in Kuching, Miri and Limbang,” said Deputy Chief Minister and State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas during the daily update press conference on the Covid-19 situation in the state.
Uggah explained that the 753rd case is a local citizen who had travelled to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and stopped over in Labuan before arriving at Miri Airport at Oct 9.
“He is a technician with one of the oil rigs in Sabah waters and was on the rig from Sept 8 before signing off on Oct 8.
“Upon arrival at Miri Airport, the case was admitted to the quarantine centre to undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days. On Oct 11, the case underwent the first screening for Covid-19 and the rT-PCR test results of the case were found to be positive on Oct 13,” he said.
The case was admitted to Miri Hospital on the same day for further treatment. He did not show any signs or symptoms of the virus. Contact tracing is being actively carried out.
The 754th case involves a public higher education institution student who has a history of travel to Kinarut, Sabah on Sept 25 until Oct 3. While in Sabah, the case had undergone a Covid-19 screening test using the rT-PCR test on Sept 28 and 30 and results were both negative.
While in Kinarut, the case attended a wedding of a close relative. Further investigation has also found that the uncle of the case in Kinarut, who had also attended the wedding, was found positive for Covid-19 via a rT-PCR test on Oct 12.
Upon arrival at Kuching International Airport on Oct 3, the case underwentCovid-19 screening and was placed in a quarantine centre to undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days. A rT-PCR test results for the first screening returned negative results.
On Oct 12, the case underwent a screening on the 10th day at the quarantine centre and rT-PCR test was positive on Oct 13. The case was admitted to the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for further treatment.
The 755th case is a female student at a religious school in Kimanis, Sabah who returned to Lawas due to the order to close schools in Sabah during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period.
The case was allowed to return to Sarawak on Oct 8. She was sent to the Merapok ICQ, Lawas via school buus. Upon arrival in Lawas, the case was brought to the quarantine centre for the 14-day quarantine.
The case however was transferred to the quarantine centre in Limbang District on Oct 9 using an express boat because the quarantine centre in Lawas lacked rooms. The case underwent the first Covid-19 screening on Oct 10 at the quarantine centre and rT-PCR test result was positive on Oct 13.
The case was referred to Miri Hospital for treatment on the same day. She was reported to have experienced early signs and symptoms of infection on Oct 9.
All three cases are categorised as imported cases who have gotten the infection in Covid-19 high-risk area.
Meanwhile, Uggah informed that there was one case of recovery and discharge for the day from SGH.
“As of today, 691 or 91.52 per cent of total cases have recovered and discharged.
“A total of 45 cases are still being treated at hospitals’ isolation wards. Out of that, 25 cases are being treated at SGH, nine cases at Miri Hospital, seven at Bintulu Hospital and four at Sibu Hospital,” he said.
He added that there were no cases being treated at intensive care units.
As for persons-under-investigation (PUIs), there were four new ones, with two still awaiting lab results.
This brings the cumulative total of PUIs to 9,863 to-date.
As for persons-under-surveillance (PUS), there are 69 individuals who have checked into hotels for their compulsory quarantine Wednesday. This brings the total of current PUS to 1,903 individuals at 21 hotels statewide.
To-date, those who have completed their quarantine period numbered at 26,194.
Two infection clusters remain active in the state.
The ‘Bah Arnab’ cluster in Kuching currently has four cases recorded. A total of 40 persons have been screened, and 36 close contacts were found negative.
The Putra cluster in Bintulu did not record any new positive cases, maintaining the total infections in this cluster at six persons including the index case, with one of them being detected and recorded in Selangor. A total of 190 persons were screened, and close contacts with negative result were 146. Those awaiting results are 38 persons.
With no deaths reported, the state’s death toll remains at 19 or 2.53 per cent of total cases.