KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan is currently observing a self-quarantine after coming into contact with a Covid-19 patient about a week ago.
This was confirmed by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also the state Disaster Management Committee chairman, during his daily update of the Covid-19 pandemic here yesterday.
“Yes, he is currently under self-quarantine,” Uggah said of Awang Tengah.
Uggah was asked to confirm a Facebook posting by Awang Tengah’s press secretary Saiful Bahari earlier in the day disclosing that he came into contact with a patient during the Food Supply for Covid-19 Committee meeting he chaired on March 27.
The patient is a member of the committee and he was found to be positive with Covid-19 infection two days ago.
Upon instruction by the state Health Department, Saiful said the minister was advised to undergo self-quarantine effective last Wednesday (April 1).
“Datuk Amar (Awang Tengah) is now at home and upon conversation with him through phone, he (Awang Tengah) told me he is OK,” he said.
According to Saiful, all safety measures and procedures were strictly followed prior to the meeting then.
However, he said as a precaution and just to be safe, the Health Department has advised all members of the Food Supply for Covid-19 Committee to also observe the 14 days self-quarantine.
Also in the committee are Welfare and Community Wellbeing, Family and Children’s Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.
Saiful said the committee would continue to handle the food supply albeit having to coordinate its distribution through phone to ensure the people, especially those in the remote interior would get their supplies.
He pointed out that he was not at the meeting on that day as he was in another room and hence had no direct contact with the patient.
However, for the sake precaution, he said he would also observe a 14-day self-quarantine.
