KUCHING, July 25 — The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) will decide the steps that must be taken in the Kuching district should it be categorised as a Covid-19 red zone once it hits the 40-case mark, its chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said this evening.

He said the district now has 39 locally transmitted positive cases being treated at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), after four new cases were reported today, including one imported transmission.

“SDMC, together with the relevant government agencies and departments, is evaluating and monitoring the Covid-19 situation,” he said in his media statement.

Uggah said the SDMC will convene a special meeting tomorrow to discuss the latest developments in the Kuching district.

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He added the meeting will finalise the measures that the SDMC plans to implement in the event the Kuching district is declared a red zone and this would be conveyed to the federal government and Health Ministry.

Uggah added that a possible inter-district travel ban would also be discussed.

SDMC advisors Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, who is the state dousing and local government minister, and Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi, who is the state public utilities minister, are slated to attend.

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Others also expected to be present are state Health Department Director Dr Chin Zin Hing and his team of medical experts.

He said he will announce the steps that the SDMC will take next week.

“Apart from that, contact tracing has now been intensified,” he said, stressing that the SDMC is asking the public to be patient and not politicise the matter as it can cause unnecessary panic in the community.

Uggah asked Sarawakians to always comply with the existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) from the Health Department.

He said the Samarahan district also registered four positive cases today, bringing the total to 13 recorded over the last 14 days.

He added with the new cases in the Kuching and Samarahan districts, the total number in Sarawak now stands at 649 since the first case was detected in March.

Uggah, who is also deputy chief minister, said as of today, nine Covid-19 clusters — all in the Kuching district — are still active.