KUCHING: Five new locally transmitted cases of Covid-19 were detected in the state on Monday, bringing the total number of cases up to 696.
State Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said of the five, three were detected in Kuching and two in Bintulu, adding that all five were asymptomatic.
“Case 692 is a 24-year-old Indonesian man who works as a construction worker in Kuching. The case underwent rT-PCR swab test on June 8 and June 18 and laboratory test results for that date showed negative for Covid-19.
“On August 23, the case underwent self-screening at a private hospital in Kuching for the purpose of applying for a new job. Laboratory test results on the same day showed positive for Covid-19,” he said when delivering SDMC’s daily Covid-19 update on Monday.
He said Case 693 involves a 50-year-old Indonesian man who also works as a construction worker in Kuching and is tied to Case 692. Both cases had undergone self-screening at the same private hospital in Kuching for the purpose of applying for a new job.
“Case 694 is a 35-year-old local woman working as a graphic designer in Kuching. The case underwent rT-PCR swab screening for Covid-19 for antenatal screening at a private hospital in Kuching on August 23. Laboratory test results found that nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs of the case were positive for Covid-19 on the same day.
“Case 695 is a 40-year-old local man working as a chargeman at one of the oil rigs in Bintulu. The case arrived in Miri from Selangor via Kuala Lumpur on July 18 to undergo training for three days before continuing his travel to Bintulu on July 22 to work at the oil platform from July 23.
“The case returned from the platform to Bintulu port on August 20 and continued to undergo quarantine at a hotel in Bintulu. On August 21, the case underwent rT-PCR swab screening at a private hospital in Bintulu. Laboratory results on August 23 found that the case was positive for Covid-19. The case was admitted to Bintulu Hospital for further treatment,” he added.
As for Case 696, Uggah said it involves a 40-year-old Indonesian man working as an insulator in a company at the Samalaju industrial area.
“The case underwent rT-PCR swab screening for Covid-19 at a private hospital in Bintulu before returning to his homeland. Laboratory test results found the case to be positive for Covid-19 on August 23 and the case was admitted to Bintulu Hospital for further treatment.
“The case has also been based in Sarawak since 2015 and has no history of travelling to or from abroad,” he clarified.
Uggah reassured that all five cases reported are locally transmitted cases based on the findings of the initial investigation that has been conducted, adding that further investigations and tracking of close contacts to all cases is ongoing.
Additionally, there was no new cases that had recovered and been discharged from the hospital, with the cumulative total at 662, or 95.11 percent.
“Fifteen individuals are still receiving treatment at hospital isolation wards — nine in Bintulu Hospital, four in Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), and one each in Sibu and Miri Hospitals.
“The total number of deaths remains at 19, or 2.73 percent,” he said.
He said that five new person-under-investigation (PUI) cases were reported while five were still awaiting laboratory results.
