.JPEG "A foreign worker has his temperature taken during a Covid-19 screening exercise at Padang Polo, George Town May 14, 2020. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Sayuti Zainudin")
KUCHING, March 26 — The conditional movement control order (CMCO) in Sarawak has been extended by another 14 days, the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said today.
“After looking at the situation, and assessing the number of Covid-19 positive cases in Sarawak which is still high, SDMC has decided to extend the CMCO, effective March 30 (12.01am) to April 12 (11.59pm),” it said in its daily Covid-19 update.
In addition, the committee announced that two areas in Serian will be placed under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO).
Kpg Chupak started its EMCO on March 25 (12.01 am) and will last until April 7 (11.59pm). The other area is Kampung Batu Gong. The EMCO is effective from March 26 (12.01 am) to April 8 (11.59pm).
SDMC has been extending the CMCO since it was implemented statewide from Jan 18 to Jan 31. The current CMCO has been in effect from March 16 and was supposed to end on March 29.
Separately, SDMC said that since most Covid-19 cases involved funerals, any related social should be reported to the nearest District Office.
“They must also strictly adhered to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) before conducting funeral ceremonies. Village heads and community leaders are also requested to help in enforcing the SOP,” it said.
Earlier today, State Health Director Dr Chin Zin Hing said social gatherings and funerals have contributed to the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases and clusters in Sarawak this year.
He said those attending funerals led to five clusters, one each detected in Kuching, Sibu, Pusa, Tanjung Manis and Kapit involving 3,360 positive cases (or 22.46 percent from the total positive cases in Sarawak).
He added that social gatherings led to 26 clusters — four of which is in Kuching, Meradong (4) Julau (3), Serian (2), Samarahan (2), Sri Aman (2), Sibu (2), Miri (2), and one each in Bau, Betong, Selangau, Kapit and Beluru — involving some 1,625 individuals were infected with the virus (10.86 percent of the overall positive cases). — Borneo Post
