KUCHING: Sarawak has recorded its first Covid-19 cases, with three persons testing positive for the virus.
State Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the first and second cases are from the cluster who attended the Ijtimak (religious gathering) at Sri Petaling Mosque in Selangor from Feb 28 to March 1 recently, while ‘Case 3’ (third individual) is a family member. All three cases are in Kuching.
The first and second cases are aged 46 and 73 while the third case is a 60-year-old woman, the wife of the 73-year-old man.
“Therefore, we are appealing to all those who attended that gathering and who are in Sarawak to immediately contact the nearest hospitals to test for Covid-19.
“So far, the Sarawak Health Department has traced 236 participants of the event up till today (yesterday) — with 173 under home surveillance and 63 Person Under Investigation (PUI), and will continue to track the remaining,” he said in statement yesterday.
Uggah advised those who attended the event in Sri Petaling to also abide by the directives from Majlis Islam Sarawak issued on March 12.
“The State Disaster Management Committee would like to assure the public that the Sarawak Health Department is prepared to face any eventuality arising from Covid-19 in its designated hospitals namely Sarawak General Hospital, Sibu Hospital, Bintulu Hospital and Miri Hospital.
“Quarantine centres have been set up in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri and are ready for operation,” Uggah added.
