KUCHING: The Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) is preparing to face a Covid-19 Omicron wave in the coming weeks.

Its coordinator, Dr Annuar Rapaee said 14 cases were reported in Sibu district on Sunday (Feb 6), the highest recorded in a day after two months.

“The Omicron is more infectious and can spread four times faster compared to the Delta variant.

“We are expecting the number of Covid-19 cases to increase in one to two months’ time,” he said in a Facebook post on Sunday (Feb 6).

Dr Annuar, who is also Nangka assemblyman informed that as stated by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Institute of Health and Community Medicine director, Prof Dr David Parera, a detection rate of 78 per cent of the Omicron variant had been discovered from surveillance data of positive cases done from Jan 3 to 26 this year.

“Therefore, the public are reminded to continue to adhere to standard operating procedures and to avoid crowded places,” he said.