WUHAN VIRUS
KUCHING: Sarawak will tighten its entry points and temporarily halt trips to and from China to curb the spread of Wuhan Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg stated that he had already given a directive to the relevant authority to halt trips to China at the moment.
He mentioned that although the number of Chinese tourists in Sarawak is not high, Sarawak is still at risk because Sabah has chartered flights to and from China.
“From Sabah they can enter Sarawak via Sungai Tujuh (through Brunei), so we have to ensure strict border control in Miri, just in case. We cannot take this for granted as there is no vaccine against the virus yet.
“Apart from that, if you are a suspect, the virus cannot be detected immediately as the period between exposure and the appearance of the first symptoms can range from one to 14 days,” he told reporters in a press conference after officiating at ‘Juh Berambeh Makan Durian’ at Surau Darul Qarar in Kampung Temedak here, yesterday.
Abang Johari added that besides stricter border control, the state government would provide face masks and other materials to prevent the spread of the virus pending a discussion by Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (JPBN).
He further said that the state needs to have places for quarantine purposes in the event that some people needed to be separated from the general public.
“The existing quarantine spaces do not suffice. That is why we will seek cooperation with the private sector which can provide quarantine spaces,” he said.
Abang Johari also reminded Sarawakians to take precautions such as using face masks and avoid going to crowded places.
When asked to comment on the fact that the nation has yet to ban travellers from China, Abang Johari said that he had no say in the nation’s policy on such a matter.
“That is up to the federal government,” he said.
On Saturday the chief minister spoke about fortifying the state’s entry points by reactivate its health screening system there.
“We have been warned nationwide on the spread of the (Wuhan) virus with one suspected (to carry the virus) in Sabah. We will be fortifying our entry points through the state Health Department (JKNS),” he said when met by reporters during his Chinese New Year visit to state legal counsel Datuk Seri JC Fong’s open house.
He went on to say that although Sarawak was less worried by the spread of the virus compared to Sabah “because we don’t have a lot of tourists from China compared to Sabah, but we will take action”.
The 2019-nCoV was first reported in Wuhan, China where the first patient died on Jan 10.
To date, the virus has claimed 56 lives and infected thousands globally, with four positive cases in Malaysia.
