KUCHING: A total of 320,311 positive cases and 1,775 deaths due to COVID-19 were reported in Sarawak, since the first reported case on March 13, 2020.
Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said the disease was showing a declining trend, with 7,999 cases reported from August to November compared to 46,668 cases reported from January to March this year.
However, it has begun to show an increasing trend in the recent four weeks, with 1,046 cases reported in Epid Week 47 (November 20 -26), compared to with 814 cases reported in Epid Week 46, 616 cases in Epid Week 45, and 459 cases in Epid Week 44 .
Dr Sim, who is also Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister said the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) utilisation rate for COVID-19 cases has also shown an increasing trend for the same period, with 8.6 per cent in Epid Week 44, 13.3 per cent in Epid Week 45, 15.2 per cent in Epid Week 46 and 17.9 per cent in Epid Week 47.
“Despite the increasing trend, the number of new cases reported, and ICU utilisation rate are still much lower as compared to the situation during the first half of the year.
“Among the factors that contribute to and help control the situation of the spread of the COVID-19 infection in Sarawak is the high awareness on the importance of public health measures as well as the high acceptance of vaccines among the people of Sarawak,” he said when delivering his ministerial winding up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting yesterday.
As of November 26 this year, he said, a total of 2,430,627 people or about 86 per cent of Sarawak’s population have been fully vaccinated with two doses. This comprises 1,904,956 people aged 18 and above, 266,986 people aged between 12 to 17 and 258,685 aged between 5 and 11.
Sarawak has administered the first booster dose to 1,584,620 people which is 72.96 per cent of 2,171,942 people aged 12 and above who have completed their two primary doses of COVID-19 vaccination.
“However, only 51,372 Sarawakian have received a second booster dose, less than two per cent of the eligible population,” he said.
“The public is therefore strongly encouraged to take booster doses for COVID-19 vaccination, continue to practise personal hygiene and to wear a mask especially in crowded areas, as the virus may still continue to mutate and spread in the community,” he added.
Apart from that, Sarawak also recorded 54 human rabies cases to date, with thirteen cases reported in 2022 alone, compared with ten cases in 2021.
Out of these 54 human rabies cases, Dr Sim said, there were only five survivors, which include three in 2022. Currently, there are 26 post-bite clinics with anti-rabies vaccines to curb the situation“Sarawak can be declared rabies-free if we can remain free of animal and human rabies for a period of at least two consecutive years while the World Health Organisation (WHO) has targeted to eliminate rabies globally by the year 2030,” he added.
