KUCHING (Dec 17): Sarawak’s four-day streak of zero Covid-19 cases ended today, after nine new cases were detected, bringing the total number of infections in the state to 1,084 cases.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), in its daily update statement, said eight of these new cases were classified as imported cases, while the remaining case was a local transmission.
“Of these nine new cases, six were detected in Sibu, two in Kuching and one in Sri Aman,” announced SDMC.
The local transmission case was detected in Sibu after a local man underwent a Covid-19 test swab to return to work in Papua New Guinea. He tested positive for the virus on Dec 16 — the same day he underwent the test.
The case is currently asymptomatic and has been placed in the isolation ward of Sibu Hospital for further treatment.
SDMC said four import cases detected in Sibu involved Indonesians, who recently returned to work and underwent Covid-19 screening at a private healthcare facility on Dec 6.
SDMC said their first screening results came back negative on Dec 6, but their second screening results on Dec 15 came back positive for Covid-19 on Dec 16.
It added that all these cases were asymptomatic.
SDMC said another import case detected in Sibu involved a local man, who recently returned from Johor, a high-risk area.
“The case entered Sarawak through Sibu Airport on Dec 6. The case’s first test result at the airport was negative, but the second screening on Dec 15 found the case to be positive for Covid-19.
“The case experienced coughing and a sore throat on Dec 14, and has been referred to Sibu Hospital for treatment,” it said.
In Kuching, SDMC said one of the two new cases involved a local man, who recently returned from Pahang, a high-risk area.
The case was said to have entered through Kuching International Airport on Dec 6 and the first screening on the same day tested negative for Covid-19.
SDMC said the case’s second screening on Dec 16 came back positive for the virus. The case is asymptomatic, and has been admitted to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for treatment.
“Another case detected in Kuching involved an Indonesian man, who underwent screening on Dec 16. The result came back positive on the same day. The case is asymptomatic and has been referred to SGH for treatment.
“Based on initial investigations, the case is an illegal worker, who was detained by the Immigration Department while on his way from Sungai Skrang to Serian. The case did not have any official documents with him,” added SDMC.
SDMC added that the only case in Sri Aman involved an Indonesian, who had been detained by the Immigration Department.
The case underwent Covid-19 screening on Dec 15 and the result came back positive for the virus on the same day.
Based on initial investigations, SDMC said the case had a valid social visit pass but the case is under ongoing investigation.
SDMC added that contact tracing for all these new cases are being carried out.