Health workers conduct Covid-19 case detection. — Bernama photo
KUCHING (Aug 29): Nearly 60 per cent of the 1,155 new Covid-19 infections reported here yesterday were detected through close contact tracing in 320 locations, said Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
The State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) advisor said 378 of the total new infections were linked to family clusters while 97 others were connected to social clusters and 94 others to workplace clusters.
“The surge (of cases is) due to Delta (variant) which can be transmitted by aerosol, that whenever your face mask is (taken) off, you are at risk.
“Even if you are infected by Delta variant of Covid-19, 99 per cent are in Category 1 or 2 – no symptoms or mild symptoms with greatly reduced chances of death. Based on current local observation, 99 per cent (of the infections) will recover.
“As most post-vaccination (cases) are mild symptoms or no symptoms, the only way to diagnose Covid-19 is through PCR test or RTK Ag test with the main purpose not to pass (the virus) to others and stop transmission,” he said in a Facebook post this morning.
Dr Sim, who is Local Government and Housing Minister, said many doctors and their team had been working until 3am or 4am today to complete the investigation of the cases reported yesterday.
“This is not just extraordinary but truly beyond the call of duty. But there is a limit to our medical frontliners as a human being as well as resources,” he pointed out.
As such, he called on Sarawakians to play their part, uphold self-discipline and practise non-pharmaceutical and public health measures even after being fully vaccinated.
He added: “We need everyone’s help. The virus keeps changing to survive, so you and I also need to do the same to survive as human.”
In Serian, Dr Sim said 278 of the total 434 infections reported yesterday were detected through close contact tracing in 109 locations.
He said 108 cases of the total infections were symptomatic during testing while 83 others were detected through active case detection (ACD).
“Kampung Sg Duuh alone recorded 75 cases and other localities that also had two-digit infections were Kpg Mundai (13), Kpg Duras (12), Kpg Plaman Bantang (12), Kpg Pati (11), Kpg Rimba Padi (11) and Kpg Sinjok (10),” he added.
In Samarahan, he said 82 of the total 93 cases reported yesterday were detected through close contact tracing in 33 locations.