Bernama file photo shows a health worker conducting a Covid-19 swab test.
KUCHING (Aug 24): Sarawak’s cumulative Covid-19 cases surpassed the 100,000 mark today following the addition of 1,543 new cases, said the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC).
It said in its Covid-19 daily update that the latest tally brought the state’s total number of infections to 101,381.
In addition, there were also two death cases, which increased the death toll to 503.
“More than half of the new cases were registered in Kuching at 812 while Subis also reported three-digit cases at 142.
“Apart from that, 29 districts recorded new cases namely Bau (74), Samarahan (68), Mukah (54), Serian (53), Belaga (49), Sibu (47), Pusa (45), Bintulu (44), Selangau (37), Miri (15), Asajaya (15), Saratok (11), Song (8), Betong (8), Simunjan (7), Beluru (7), Tebedu (7), Kapit (6), Lundu (6), Sri Aman (5), Sarikei (5), Dalat (4), Tatau (3), Matu (3), Lubok Antu (2), Lawas (2), Limbang (2), and one each in Kanowit and Pakan,” said the committee.
It said 1,541 or 99.87 per cent of today’s cases were of categories one and two involving asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients respectively.
“Only two cases were classified as category five which refer to patients requiring ventilator support,” it said.
It also gave a summary of the cases which consisted of 819 cases which were detected from screenings of individuals with contact to positive cases; 356 from screenings of individuals from existing active clusters; 278 from other screenings at health facilities; and 86 from screenings of symptomatic individuals at health facilities.
“There were also four Import B cases where the individuals had returned or entered from Sabah (2), Kuala Lumpur (1), and Selangor (1),” it added.
On the latest fatalities, it said one of the cases involved an 80-year-old woman from Bintulu with a history of hypertension and heart disease.
“The victim, who tested positive on August 16, died at Bintulu Hospital,” it said.
A 75-year-old man from Kuching was the state’s 503rd Covid-19 death case, it said.
“He had a history of hypertension and dyslipidemia. He tested positive on August 6 and died at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH),” it said.
Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19 patients who were discharged from hospitals and quarantine and low-risk patients treatment centres (PKRC) across the state slightly surpassed new infection cases today at 1,545.
SDMC said 1,073 were discharged from SGH and PKRC under SGH; 147 from PKRC Unimas; 106 from PKRC Serian; 73 from Sibu Hospital and the PKRC under Sibu Hospital; 50 from Bintulu Hospital and the PKRC under Bintulu Hospital; 35 from Miri Hospital and PKRC under Miri Hospital; 22 from PKRC Mukah; 17 from Sri Aman Hospital and PKRC under Sri Aman Hospital; 12 from PKRC Betong; eight from Kapit Hospital and the PKRC under Kapit Hospital; and one each from Sarikei Hospital and the PKRC under Sarikei Hospital and PKRC Lawas.
“The total number of recoveries in the state have now increased to 84,500 or 83.35 per cent out of the overall cases,” said the committee.
It also said that 16,188 patients were still warded and under medical supervision at hospitals and PKRCs throughout the state including 47 cases who are in the intensive care unit (ICU) and 20 intubated cases.