KUCHING (Dec 31): Sarawak recorded two new imported cases of Covid-19 in Miri today, bringing the total number of positive cases in the state to 1,117.
According to the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), case 1,116 is a Malaysian who works as an assistant pilot at a rural air service in Sabah, Labuan and Sarawak who went for a scheduled Covid-19 screening as he works in an essential service sector. His last test on Dec 14 was negative.
He sought treatment and Covid-19 screening on Dec 29 at a private hospital after getting a sorethroat the previous day. He tested positive for the virus on Dec 30.
Based on early investigation, he had an overnight return trip between Kota Kinabalu and Miri on Dec 21, 24 and 26 before showing symptoms on Dec 28.
He had visited several eateries and shopping malls around Miri on Dec 28 and flew from Miri to Lawas, Ba’Kelalan and Bario on Dec 30. He had also visited several eateries at Miri Airport and a restaurant in Miri City before he was warded for further treatment on Dec 30.
“The case is categorised as an imported case as he was infected at high-risk area which is in Sabah. Detailed movement and contact tracing for the case is being actively carried out by Miri Division Health Office,” said SDMC in a statement today.
Case 1,117 is a Sarawakian man who came back from Kuala Lumpur via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Dec 27.
He worked as a technician in Johor since January before shifting to Penang as a temporary security guard from Dec 21-24. On Dec 25, he went back to KL and stayed overnight at Tasik Bandar Selatan before coming back to Miri on Dec 27.
Upon arrival at Miri Airport, he was placed under quarantine and had a Covid-19 screening on Dec 29 and tested positive for the virus on Dec 31.
He was asymptomatic and was warded at Miri Hospital for further treatment. This case is categorised as imported case as he was infected while in Johor or Penang. Active close contact and social contact tracing is being carried out.
Meanwhile, SDMC also informed that one case was allowed to be discharged today from Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), bringing the total number of recoveries in the state to 1,069 or 95.7 per cent of the overall cases.
“There are 27 patients who are still being treated and isolated, of which 11 are receiving treatment at SGH, seven at Miri Hospital, five in Bintulu Hospital and four in Sibu Hospital. None are being treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or require breathing assistance.”
There are no new deaths reported and the state’s death toll remains unchanged at 19.
On the number of persons-under-investigation (PUI), SDMC said eight new cases were reported with none awaiting test results.
Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Lawas remained yellow zones with the total of five local transmissions reported over the past 14 days, with two of them in Sibu and one each in Kuching, Bintulu and Lawas. The remaining 36 districts remain as green zones.