KUCHING: Five clusters reported in Sarawak this year have involved those attending funeral ceremonies, accounting for a total of 3,360 Covid-19 cases or 22.46 per cent of total cases in the state.
State Health Department (JKNS) director Dr Chin Zin Hing said of these five clusters, one each was detected in Kuching, Sibu, Pusa, Tanjung Manis, and Kapit.
“Twenty-six clusters have involved those gathering at social ceremonies or activities — four in Kuching, Meradong (four), Julau (three), Serian (two), Samarahan (two), Sri Aman (two), Sibu (two), Miri (two), Bau (one), Betong (one), Selangau (one), Kapit (one), and Beluru (one),” he said in a statement today.
He said these 26 clusters involved a total of 1,625 persons infected with Covid-19, or 10.86 percent of total cases in the state.
He said there were 11 clusters resulting from workplace infections, of which three were in Bintulu, Miri (two), Kuching (one), Sri Aman (one), Song (one), Matu (one), Meradong (one), and Sibu (one).
“These 11 clusters involved 578 positive Covid-19 cases, or 3.86 per cent of total positive Covid-19 cases in the state.”
He noted that the situations at immigration centres or prisons had also resulted in one cluster in Serian and another in Sibu, involving 308 persons.
“Those attending wedding ceremonies also created one cluster in Miri, involving 188 persons.”
Dr Chin said JKNS through its analysis had found that the main factor causing the existence of clusters in the state was mass gatherings, adding that these clusters were also tied with the public’s failure to comply with the standard operating procedure (SOP) and new norm practices.
“There is still a significant increase in Covid-19 cases in the state and this can be directly linked to the increase in the number of clusters detected so far.”
He stressed that the public must be aware that the virus was within the community at present, awaiting an opportunity to infect through those infected, whether they had symptoms or not.
“As such, JKNS needs the public’s cooperation to consider the high risk of being infected through any gatherings and to avoid becoming a victim.”
