Sarawak: Task force identified 6,022 in close contact with Covid-19 positive cases

KUCHING, April 19 — Sarawak’s special task force to flatten the curve of Covid-19 infection here has identified 6,022 individuals who were in close contact with positive cases in Kuching Division, its Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said today.

SDMC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said 3,538 of them have already been screened while the remaining 2,484 others are still moving around.

“As it is very important for all the remaining individuals to be screened so to cut-off further transmission of the coronavirus, the state Health Department will contact them so they can undergo the screening process,” Uggah said.

He said the department will start making telephone calls to the remaining individuals starting tomorrow, instructing them on what needs to be done.

“It is my hope that all the close contacts to the positive cases to give their cooperation by answering the telephone calls from the Health Department later and to comply with the directives given to them,” he said.

He said the special task force is currently concentrating its efforts in Kuching Division, covering the districts of Kuching, Bau, Lundu and Sematan, as it has a high number of positive Covid-19 cases among the 12 Divisions of Sarawak.

Uggah, who is also the deputy chief minister, said Sarawak today recorded another five more positive cases, bringing the total number to 408 since the first case was detected on March 13.

He added all these new cases are treated at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH).

He said seven positive cases have recovered after receiving treatment and then discharged, with five from SGH and two from Sibu Hospital.

Uggah said a total of 64 positive cases have so far recovered and discharged from the hospitals.

He said 55 Sarawakians who arrived today from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Labuan and overseas have been placed as persons-under-surveillance and put in 16 hotels used as surveillance centres.

He added since April 5, a total of 1,493 of them has been put in the surveillance centres.

Uggah also said 99 cases of persons-under-investigation were registered today, with 52 of them in Kuching district, and this is followed by Miri (18), Samarahan (9), eight each in Serian and Betong, and one each on Bau, Lundu, Simanggang and Sarikei.