KUCHING: Sarawak recorded 10 new positive Covid-19 cases on Friday — four in Kuching, Lubok Antu (three) and one each in Daro, Bau and Bintulu — bringing the total number of positive cases in the state to 742.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said that in Kuching, three of the cases were security personnel who had returned from Sabah after performing official tasks during the Sabah state election.
“The cases along with other members returned to Sarawak via a special flight of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) on Sept 28.
“Upon arrival in Kuching, they were placed under a 14-day quarantine order in Pulapol. All of the cases underwent the first reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rT-PCR) test screening on Sept 29 and tested negative.
“The next screening test was conducted on Oct 7 and three cases were found positive on Oct 8. All cases showed no signs and symptoms and they were admitted to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for further treatment,” he said at a daily Covid-19 update press conference today.
Uggah said the Sarawak Health Department conducted the first screening on all 509 security personnel and from the figure, one was tested positive, while the three new cases tested positive after the second screening test. Currently, 495 security personnel are still awaiting test results.
The fourth case in Kuching was a local infection involving a close contact to a positive case (Case 718) on Oct 2. The case is also a security personnel working at Kuching International Airport (KIA).
He stated that the case underwent screening at a government health clinic on Oct 7 and was tested positive the next day.
“The case did not show any signs or symptoms of Covid-19 and did not have travel history outside Sarawak, was admitted to SGH for further treatment.
“In Lubok Antu, two of the three cases are a mother and child who travelled to Sabah and returned to Sarawak on Sept 27 through KIA from Kota Kinabalu.
“Both cases underwent screening upon arrival in KIA and were tested negative. On the 10th day, the cases took the second screening and were found positive on Oct 8.
“Both cases did not show any signs or symptoms of Covid-19 and was referred to SGH for further treatment,” he said.
The third case (in Lubok Antu) had Influenza-like Illness (ILI) symptoms and the case is a security personnel stationed in Lubok Antu.
The case suffered from sore throat on Oct 5 and underwent screening test on the same day at a health clinic.
The rT-PCR test came back positive on Oct 8 and the case was referred to SGH on the same day.
The case did not have any travel history outside Sarawak and was categorised as a local infection.
Uggah added that Daro had one Covid-19 positive case – a local citizen working on an oil rig in Sabah waters. He returned to Sarawak from Kota Kinabalu via Labuan, Miri and Sibu before continuing the journey by road to Daro on Oct 3.
“During a stopover at Labuan Airport, the case underwent screening test and was given quarantine instructions at home by the Federal Territory of Labuan Health Department.
“The samples taken were sent to the Sungai Buloh National Public Health Laboratory, Selangor and the rT-PCR test results came back positive on Oct 8.
“The case had experienced coughing, fever and sore throat since Oct 1 but recovered on Oct 6. The case was referred to Sibu Hospital for further treatment,” he said.
Meanwhile, a positive case reported in Bau involved a local infected from a high risk area in Sabah.
The case returned to Sarawak on Sept 27 from Kota Kinabalu and underwent screening tests that returned negative.
“The second screening test conducted on the 10th day in Bau Hospital found he was positive but did not show any signs or symptoms of Covid-19.
“The case was referred to SGH for further treatment,” he said.
Uggah explained that the positive case in Bintulu was detected through symptomatic case screening.
The case started showing signs and symptoms on Oct 1 and had obtained health examination and screening of RTK Antibody Covid-19 at a private hospital in Bintulu but, the screening test was not reactive for Covid-19.
“The case took a swab for rT-PCR test as the case has symptoms and has a travel history to Kedah and Kuala Lumpur on Sept 24 to 27.
“The test results came back positive on Oct 8 and the case is receiving treatment at Bintulu Hospital,” he said.
Investigation and contact tracing on all these cases are ongoing.
He also informed that there was still one active cluster – ‘Bah Arnab cluster’ with four cases reported in Kuching.
Uggah announced that there was no new recovery and discharge cases, which remained at 684 or 93.44 percent.
With the addition of 10 cases today, there are now 39 cases receiving treatment at hospitals — 24 in Sarawak General Hospital, eight in Miri Hospital, four in Sibu Hospital and three in Bintulu Hospital.
The death toll in the state remains at 19 or 2.60 percent to date. Meanwhile, 22 new person-under-investigation (PUI) cases were reported and three are still awaiting laboratory test results.
