KUCHING: Three new Covid-19 cases were recorded in the state today, bringing its total to 716 cases since the first positive case was reported on March 13.
Of the three cases, State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said two cases were reported in Kuching and one case in Sibu.
The committee revealed that case 714 involves a Sabahan resident of Kapit who worked as a security guard that had recently returned to his hometown in Tawau, Sabah from Sept 17 until Sept 30.
“On Sept 29, the case travelled by plane from Tawau Airport to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) and spent one night in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The case then continued his journey from Kota Kinabalu to Kuching on Sept 30 where he made a stopover at Kuching International Airport (KIA) before continuing his journey to Sibu on the same evening. The case has been given a 14-day home quarantine order.
“While stopping at KIA, the case underwent Covid-19 screening and his reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rT-PCR) test was found to be positive of Covid-19 on October 2 and was admitted to Sibu Hospital on the same day,” SDMC said in a statement today.
SDMC said case 715 involves a schoolteacher working at a school in Tambunan, Sabah and had returned to the state on Sept 30.
It said the case had flown from KKIA and was transiting at KIA before heading to Sibu on the same day.
“While stopping at KIA, the case underwent screening and the rT-PCR test was found to be positive of Covid-19 on Oct 2. The case had undergone Covid-19 screening at a Government Health Clinic in Luyang, Sabah on Sept 27 and the test result was negative.”
As for case 716, the committee said it involves a local man working at an oil rig operated by an oil and gas company in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
“The case was signed off of the platform on Sept 29. Upon arrival on land, the case, along with other crews, were housed in a hotel and underwent Covid-19 screening at a private medical centre in Jesselton, Sabah on the same day and their results were said to have been negative.
“On Sept 30, the case returned to Kuching using a flight from KKIA to KIA. Upon arrival, the case underwent Covid-19 screening and was given a 14-day home quarantine order. The result of the rT-PCR test screening of the case was found to be positive and was referred to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for further treatment,” it said.
SDMC also noted that all three cases are asymptomatic and assured that contact tracings are underway.
