KUCHING, Feb 10 — The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee today imposed a 14-day self-quarantine on anyone within its borders who visited Singapore recently as a preventive measure against the spread of the infectious 2019-nCoV coronavirus.
Its chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the policy is with immediate effect, noting that Singapore recorded 43 cases of the nCoV as of yesterday and has raised its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) warning to orange — the second-highest alert level to indicate the severity of the disease and that it is being contained.
“The occurrences of the coronavirus clusters in Singapore in a church, a medical product shop and a hotel after an international conference was held were worrisome to us,” he told reporters here after chairing a meeting with health, immigration, tourism, foreign ministry, police representatives over the global spread of the Wuhan virus.
Uggah said the Singapore cases affected even people who had not been to China, like taxi drivers and church goers.
He said the state disaster committee will soon engage bodies representing the various churches, temples, mosques, the Unit For Other Religions, the taxi association, the hoteliers association, long-distance bus associations and others for their co-operation to prevent the viral disease from spreading to Sarawak.
“We are still free of the coronavirus. I appeal to all to give us their unbridled support and cooperation,” he said
Uggah said the disaster committee will meet every Monday morning to discuss the disease further development and to come up with the state strategic preparedness and action plans.
He said Sarawak has 60 patients under investigation for suspected coronavirus between January 10 and February 9.
Of the cases, 43 have tested negative while the laboratory test results are pending for the remaining 17.
Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Sri Dr Sim Khui Hian who was present during the news conference urged Sarawakians to abide by the government’s decisions and guidelines to be infection-free.
“So we all must abide by the guidelines and decisions made respectively by our Health Department and the State Disaster Management Committee.
“We must look after our personal health the best that we can and must always wash our hands after visiting public places,” said Dr Sim, who is a cardiologist by training.
