Sibu steps up SOP monitoring in workplaces

0

Dr Annuar Rapaee

SIBU (April 7): Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee (SDDMC) is forming four teams with government agencies to beef up monitoring of Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) compliance at workplaces.

Its coordinator Dr Annuar Rapaee said each group, which would be led by the police, would inspect business premises, industrial areas and plantations and they would report to the committee on SOP violations.

“We need to beef up our efforts to ensure SOP compliance due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases involving workplaces in Sibu.

“For example, the emergence of the new Jalan Maju cluster as well as Jalan Sanyan and Bulatan Aman clusters are all linked to workplaces.

“This is why I keep stressing on the importance of adhering to SOP especially at workplaces in order to avoid new clusters or reduce risk of getting the infection,” he said in a Facebook livestream yesterday.

The Jalan Maju cluster which recorded three cases was announced by Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) yesterday.

Earlier, Dr Annuar schools where cases have been detected will be closed for three days to allow sanitation and classes will continue online .

“Close contacts of positive cases will be screened and ordered to undergo 14 days isolation or quarantine. Classes will resume after the sanitation process for teachers and students who are not close contacts.

“I will ask headmasters or principals to submit the name of close contacts of positive cases. With the rotation system in place for schools in Sibu, it will be easier to trace the close contacts,” he said.

Dr Annuar also said Sibu Hospital had started receiving Covid-19 patients from Sarikei Hospital to help the latter cope with its limited bed capacity due to the increasing number of cases there.

“One out of four of our Covid-19 treatment and quarantine centre (PKRC) will also be used for patients from Sarikei,” he said.

On the 81 cases recorded in Sibu yesterday, he said 54 were from areas under Sibu Municipal Council, 15 from Sibu Jaya and 12 from Sibu Rural District Council jurisdiction.

He also said that the majority of the positive cases were detected through their second swab.