KUCHING, May 15 — Sarawak today recorded four deaths from Covid-19 along with 324 new positive cases, said the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) in a statement.

“A total of 237 or 73.15 per cent of today’s cases were detected in Miri, Bintulu, Sibu and Kapit districts,” it said.

The figures brought the total death toll in the state to 219, and the cumulative total of positive cases to 37,978 cases.

The 216th death involved a 79-year-old woman who was admitted to Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) in Bintulu after she was found positive on April 21 in a screening of close contacts to a positive case. The case was referred directly to Bintulu Hospital when the case was found to have lost appetite and in a state of lethargy. Her condition deteriorated and she was confirmed dead on May 6. The case had comorbidities of hypertension, diabetes and chronic kidney disease. The case was also activities of daily living (ADL) dependent.

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The 217th death was an 87-year-old woman who had received treatment at Sarikei Hospital when close contact screening of positive cases on May 4 found her rT-PCR test to be positive. She had no symptoms or signs prior to her admission to hospital, but she began to have difficulty in breathing and her health deteriorated. She was confirmed dead on May 14. The case had comorbidities of hypertension and dyslipidemia.

The 218th death was a 92-year-old man who had received treatment at Sarikei Hospital when close contact screening of positive cases on April 4 found his rT-PCR test to be positive. He was also asymptomatic before his admission to the hospital. He later had breathing difficulties and his health deteriorated. He was confirmed dead on May 14. The case had comorbidities of hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The 219th death was a 63-year-old man who had been treated at Kanowit Hospital due to shortness of breath. The case also suffered fever and cough for the past four days. The rT-PCR test on March 24 was positive for Covid-19. The case was referred to Sibu Hospital for treatment. His condition deteriorated and he confirmed dead on May 15. The case had comorbidities of diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia.

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SDMC informed that as for the new cases, they were recorded in Miri (146), Bintulu (36), Sibu (33), Kapit (22), Selangau (16), Pusa (13), Kuching (13), Saratok (10), Mukah (10), Beluru (5), Belaga (3), Subis (3), Sri Aman (2), Matu (2), Pakan (2), Sebauh (2), Sarikei (2), Bukit Mabong (1), Betong (1), Meradong (1) and Song (1).

“Out of the 324 new cases reported, 41 have showed signs and experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 infection during the screening.

“A total of 272 cases comprised individuals who have been given quarantine orders at designated quarantine centres,” it said.

From the new cases, 241 cases are results of screening individuals who had contact with positive cases, with four symptomatic.

A total of 28 cases are individuals screened from currently active infection clusters and six are asymptomatic.

Meanwhile, 38 cases are from screening symptomatic individuals at healthcare centres.

Another 21 cases are from other screenings at healthcare centres and they are asymptomatic.

Two imported cases were returnees from other states in Malaysia, and another was a returnee from overseas (Papua New Guinea).

SDMC said that there were 372 cases of recovery and discharge for the day.

“These cases were from Sibu Hospital and PKRC in Sibu (113), Miri Hospital and PKRC under Miri Hospital (62 ), Bintulu Hospital and PKRC under Bintulu Hospital (48), Sarikei Hospital and PKRC under Sarikei Hospital (44), Kapit Hospital and PKRC under Kapit Hospital (34), SGH and PKRC under SGH (32), PKRC Betong (15), seven each from Sri Aman Hospital/PKRC Sri Aman and PKRC Serian, and five each from PKRC Mukah and Limbang Hospital.

“As of today, 31,256 or 82.30 per cent of total cases have recovered and discharged,” it said.

SDMC said that a total of 6,419 cases are still being treated at hospitals and various PKRC throughout the state.

There were 324 new person-under-investigation (PUI) reported for the day. This brought the cumulative total of PUIs to 51,169 to date.

As for person-under-surveillance (PUS), there were 175 individuals who have checked into designated quarantine centres for their compulsory quarantine today. This brings the total of current PUS to 6,967 individuals at 104 hotels and non-hotel quarantine centres statewide.

To date, those who have completed their quarantine period numbered at 102,731. — Borneo Post Online