SIBU: There is a sharp increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases in Sibu Division.
The Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) which released the latest figures on Wednesday (Feb 9), said the division recorded 35 new cases, a sharp increase within the past few days.
“This upward trend has been occurring since the Chinese New Year celebrations on Feb 1.
“The number of weekly cases has been increasing from Jan 2 up to Feb 5,” the committee said in a statement.
On the ability of Sibu Hospital to face the increased number of cases, DDMC said hospital beds for COVID-19 cases were still low as the Bed Occupancy Rate (BOR) for COVID-19 ward was below 20 per cent until now.
The committee added that there were only two COVID-19 cases that required oxygen support at the hospital.
As for DDMC’s preparations in facing the increasing cases, it said the existing Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) in the division remained empty for now, adding that it could accommodate 360 patients namely 200 in Sibu, 100 in Kanowit and 60 in Selangau.
“A new PKRC for high-risk cases is being set up in Sibu Hospital area with a capacity of 100 beds and it will be ready to be used in the near future,” it said.
The committee noted that the increase in new COVID-19 cases was most likely due to the Omicron COVID-19 variant based on Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s statement on Feb 7 where the increase in cases occurred nationwide.
