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295 more police trainees test positive

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(From left) Douglas Uggah, Dr Sim, Aidi and others in a discussion at the EMCO operation room at Pulapol.

KUCHING: Another group of 295 trainees at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) in Borneo Heights has tested positive for Covid-19, bringing about the enforcement of the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) at the centre from today until April 29.

State Police Commissioner Datuk Aidi Ismail said this was a necessary measure in view of the increasing number of cases and fears that the infection had spread to the community.

“We now have a total number of 415 trainees who are infected,” he said after accompanying Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas to the EMCO operations room at the training centre on Friday.

He said 20 teaching staff and their family members had also tested positive.

“I hope with this EMCO, we can curb the further spread and bring the numbers down. We want to end this outbreak here as soon as possible.”

On April 13, a group of 61 trainees had been infected.

The index case was a trainee who underwent a swab test at the Kota Sentosa Health Clinic on April 9 and was subsequently confirmed positive on April 12. The trainee from Perlis had arrived for training on Nov 22 last year.

All those infected are being treated at the centre itself. The State Health Department (JKNS) has set up a 24-hour health clinic and a Covid-19 Assessment Centre (CAC) there.

It had also conducted an active case detection (ACD) operation there from April 12 to 14, involving 633 people. The second ACD from April 17 to 19 is expected to involve some 2,000 others.

Also present during the visit were Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, camp commandant SAC Razali Mohamad, and JKNS deputy director Dr Rosemawati Ariffin.