KUCHING: Sarawak recorded a shocking total of 960 Covid-19 positive cases today, the highest in a single day in Malaysia, bringing the state’s tally to 22,920.
The new cases also took the total number of infections in the country to 370,528 since the pandemic began.
This is the first time in Sarawak that it had almost reached the thousand-case mark. The second highest was 607 cases recorded on April 13, the only time it surpassed the 600th mark.
Of the total positive cases, Kuching district reported 370 cases, Bintulu (175), Mukah (103), Sibu (100), Miri (83), Kapit (24), Belaga (20), Bukit Mabong (13), Serian (nine), Selangau (seven), Kanowit (six), Subis, Sebauh, Tatau and Marudi – five each, Kabong and Sri Aman – four each, Samarahan, Matu, Song, Lubok Antu and Betong – three each, Daro and Bau – two each, while Sarikei, Beluru and Tanjung Manis recorded one case each.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said 896 or 93 percent of all the cases were persons who had been sent for quarantine at designated places.
“In Kuching, 313 cases or 33 percent are from the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) in Puncak Borneo which is a controlled area.
“In Mukah, 99 cases or 10 percent are from Mukah Polytechnic involving Jalan Bambangan Cluster,” he said in a daily Covid-19 press conference today (April 16).
In short, 452 new cases were those screened after having contact with positive cases, 440 were individuals linked to active clusters, 39 from screening of symptomatic individuals, 25 detected from other screenings in health facilities, three import A cases (people returning from Indonesia) and one import B (an individual returning from another state).
On the same day, Sarawak also reported that 381 patients had recovered and discharged from hospitals statewide, taking the total number of recovered and discharged cases to 17,667 or 77.08 percent.
He added that there were 5,050 persons still undergoing treatment in isolation wards in hospitals around the state.
“Today (Friday), 960 new persons-under-investigation (PUI) have been reported and none await laboratory results,” he said.
