Bernama file photo shows a health worker conducting a Covid-19 swab test.
KUCHING (May 24): Sarawak today recorded three deaths from Covid-19 along with 530 new positive cases, said the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) in a statement.
“A total of 397 or 74.91 per cent of today’s cases were detected in Sibu, Miri, Bintulu, Kuching and Julau districts,” it said.
The figures brought the total death toll in the state to 255, and the cumulative total of positive cases to 42,813 cases.
The 253rd death was a 82-year-old woman who had received treatment at Kapit Hospital due to shortness of breath. She began to have difficulty in breathing and was quick to become exhausted when performing daily tasks over the past week.
The Rapid Antigent test and rT-PCR test on May 14 were positive for Covid-19. Her condition deteriorated and she was confirmed dead on May 23. The case had comorbidities of chronic obstructive lung disease and hypertension.
The 254th death involved a 67-year-old woman who had sought treatment at a private clinic for symptoms of cough, fever and headache. Her swab test on April 30 was positive for Covid-19.
She was sent to Miri Hospital for further treatment. Her condition deteriorated and she was confirmed dead on May 23. She had no comorbidities.
The 255th death was a 67-year-old man who had received treatment at Miri Hospital for suffering from shortness of breath. He was found to be beginning to experience symptoms of fever, cough and chest pain since five days ago.
The rT-PCR test performed on May 15 returned positive and his condition deteriorated and he was confirmed dead on May 23. He had comorbidities of hypertension, dyslipidemia and heart disease.
SDMC informed that as for the new cases, they were recorded in Sibu (142), Miri (72), Bintulu (70), Kuching (68), Julau (45), Sri Aman (14), Tanjung Manis (13), Kanowit (13), Selangau (12), Kapit (9), Betong (9), Pusa (7), Bukit Mabong (6), Sarikei (6), Mukah (6), Song (4), Meradong (4), Subis (4) Kabong (4), Daro (4), Belaga (3), Tatau (3), Pakan (2), Serian (2), Sebauh (2), Asajaya (1), Samarahan (1), Limbang (1), Beluru (1), Saratok (1) and Lubok Antu (1).
“Out of the 530 new cases reported, 90 showed signs and experienced symptoms of Covid-19 infection during the screening.
“A total of 411 cases comprised individuals who have been given quarantine orders at designated quarantine centres,” it said.
From the new cases, 371 cases are results of screening individuals who had contact with positive cases, with 22 symptomatic.
A total of 65 cases are from screening symptomatic individuals at healthcare centres, while 54 cases are from other screenings at healthcare centres and two are asymptomatic.
Meanwhile, 39 cases are individuals screened from currently active infection clusters and only one is symptomatic.
There is one imported case of a returnee from other state in the country, and is asymptomatic.
SDMC said that there were 310 cases of recovery and discharge for the day.
“These cases were from Miri Hospital and Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) under Miri Hospital (75), Sibu Hospital and PKRC in Sibu (66), SGH and PKRC under SGH (59), Kapit Hospital and PKRC under Kapit Hospital (38), Sarikei Hospital and PKRC under Sarikei Hospital (26), Bintulu Hospital and PKRC under Bintulu Hospital (17), PKRC Betong (11), Sri Aman Hospital/PKRC Sri Aman (7), PKRC Mukah (5), and PKRC Serian (3).
“As of today, 35,432 or 82.76 per cent of total cases have recovered and discharged,” it said.
SDMC said that a total of 7,031 cases are still being treated at hospitals and various PKRC throughout the state.
There were 530 new Person-Under-Investigation (PUI) reported for the day. This brought the cumulative total of PUIs to 56,042 to-date.
As for Person-Under-Surveillance (PUS), there were 406 individuals who have checked into designated quarantine centres for their compulsory quarantine today. This brings the total of current PUS to 6,194 individuals at 105 hotels and non-hotel quarantine centres statewide.
To date, those who have completed their quarantine period numbered at 106,887.