Bernama file photo shows a health worker conducting a Covid-19 swab test.
KUCHING (May 28): Sarawak today recorded four deaths from Covid-19 along with 698 new positive cases, said the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) in a statement.
“A total of 401 or 57.45 per cent of today’s cases were detected in Sibu, Miri and Kuching districts,” it said.
The figures brought the total death toll in the state to 276, and the cumulative total of positive cases to 45,436 cases.
The 273rd death was a 72-year-old man who was admitted to Sri Aman Hospital due to a case of suffering symptoms of fever for two weeks. He was then referred to Sarawak General Hospital for further treatment.
Antigen Rapid Test Kit and rT-PCR tests were performed and was detected positive for Covid-19 on May 19. His condition deteriorated and he was confirmed dead on May 27. The case had comorbidities of hypertension and gout. He was from the Nanga Skrang Cluster.
The 274th death involved a 57-year-old woman who was admitted to Sri Aman Hospital for emergency treatment due to difficulty in breathing.
The case was found to have symptoms of fever, cough and sore throat a few days prior. Her rT-PCR test was found positive on May 27. Her condition worsened and she was confirmed dead on the same day. She had comorbidities of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia.
The 275th death was a 89-year-old woman who had been admitted to Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) Sri Aman for having contact with a positive case.
She was found to have suffered difficulty in breathing and was referred to Sri Aman Hospital for treatment. The rt-PCR test was performed and found positive on May 25. Her condition worsened and she was confirmed dead on May 27. She had comorbidity of hypertension.
The 276th death involved a woman aged 77 who have been referred to SGH after being found unconscious at home.
According to her medical history, she had also experienced symptoms of fever and poor appetite a few days earlier. The rT-PCR test was performed and tested positive on May 21. The case’s condition deteriorated and she was confirmed dead on May 27. She had comorbidities of hypertension and diabetes.
SDMC informed that as for the new cases, they were recorded in Sibu (159), Miri (125), Kuching (117), Bintulu (43), Lubok Antu (39), Bukit Mabong (35), Kapit (33), Samarahan (29), Sri Aman (27), Betong (16), Sarikei (16), Kanowit (11), Song (9), Subis (7), Selangau (6), Mukah (4), Meradong (4), Julau (3), Tatau (3), Daro (2), Saratok (2), Belaga (2), Sebauh (2), Beluru (2), Pakan (1) and Dalat (1).
“Out of the 698 new cases reported, 69 have showed signs and experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 infection during the screening.
“A total of 513 cases comprised individuals who have been given quarantine orders at designated quarantine centres,” it said.
From the new cases, 474 cases are results of screening individuals who had contact with positive cases, with 18 symptomatic.
A total of 134 cases are from other screenings at healthcare centres and all are asymptomatic, while 51 cases are from screening symptomatic individuals at healthcare centres.
Meanwhile, 38 cases are individuals screened from currently active infection clusters and none of them had symptoms.
There is one imported case of a returnee from other state in the country, and is asymptomatic.
SDMC said that there were 581 recovery and discharged cases for the day.
“These cases were from Sibu Hospital and PKRC in Sibu (144), Kapit Hospital and PKRC under Kapit Hospital (132), SGH and PKRC under SGH (88), Bintulu Hospital and PKRC under Bintulu Hospital (73), Miri Hospital and PKRC under Miri Hospital (68), PKRC Betong (22), Sarikei Hospital and PKRC under Sarikei Hospital (18), PKRC Mukah (15), Sri Aman Hospital and PKRC Sri Aman (12), and PKRC Serian (9).
“As of today, 37,375 or 82.26 per cent of total cases have recovered and discharged,” it said.
SDMC said that a total of 7,684 cases are still being treated at hospitals and various PKRC throughout the state.
There were 698 new Person-Under-Investigation (PUI) reported for the day. This brought the cumulative total of PUIs to 58,633 t0-date.
As for Person-Under-Surveillance (PUS), there were 577 individuals who have checked into designated quarantine centres for their compulsory quarantine today. This brings the total of current PUS to 5,798 individuals at 106 hotels and non-hotel quarantine centres statewide.
To-date, those who have completed their quarantine period numbered at 108,792.