A medical personnel conducts a swab test on a person during mass testing. – Bernama File Photo
KUCHING (Feb 23): Sarawak today recorded two more deaths from Covid-19 in Sibu along with 133 new cases throughout the state, said the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC).
This brings the total number of fatalities in the state from the coronavirus to 76 or a death rate of 0.92 per cent, while the tally of positive cases has risen to 8,297.
SDMC also reported that the recovery rate in the state was at 73.51 per cent with 214 more patients discharged from hospitals throughout the state today.
It said in its Covid-19 update that the 75th death was a man who was receiving treatment in Sibu Hospital.
“He had experienced symptoms such as fever and cough for a few days before getting early treatment and screening for Covid-19.
“His rT-PCR done at Sibu Hospital was found to be positive on Feb 8 and his condition gradually deteriorated and he was confirmed to have passed away on Feb 22,” it said.
SDMC said the 76th death, which is linked to the Geronggang Cluster, involved a 74-year-old man who had been admitted to Sibu Hospital after his rT-PCR test from close contact tracing returned positive.
“He did not show any signs or symptoms of Covid-19 prior to the test. His health condition deteriorated and he passed away on Feb 23. He had comorbidity of Parkinson’s Disease,” the committee said.
On new positive cases, Meradong district topped the list with 36 cases, out of which 35 were in the Sungai Bakong Cluster. One other case was an individual who was detected through active case detection.
Sibu had 28 new cases, of which 17 were detected through active case detection, six through Covid-19 screenings at health centres, four through individual health screenings and one linked to the Pasai Cluster.
Betong recorded 17 new cases, all linked to the new Jalan Muhibbah Cluster.
Samarahan recorded 13 new cases, out of which six were linked to the Emperoh Jambu Cluster, three of which were classified as local infections and the other three categorised as imported cases from Kuching district.
Four cases involved the Univista Cluster and three others were detected through active case detection.
Kuching recorded 12 new cases, four of which involved the Emperoh Jambu Cluster while one was linked to the Sungai Maong Cluster. Five were detected through health screenings at health centres, while two were from active case detection.
Bintulu recorded eight new cases, two of which were linked to the Rakut Cluster and one involving the Kidurong Dua Cluster. Three cases were recorded from active case detection, one through individual health screening at a health centre and one was an individual who returned from a Covid-19 high risk area.
Julau had six new cases, all involving the Nanga Lijan Cluster; while Subis district and Miri recorded six new cases and three new cases respectively, all from active case detection.
Kanowit and Saratok each recorded one new case from active case detection.
Dalat and Beluru recorded one case each which were linked to the Pasai Cluster and Seruas Cluster respectively.
Meanwhile, out of the total recoveries and discharged cases, 149 patients were discharged from Sibu Hospital, 34 from Kapit Hospital Covid-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centre, 15 from Sarawak General Hospital, eight from Miri Hospital, five from Sarikei Hospital, two from Bintulu Hospital and one from Sri Aman Hospital Quarantine and Treatment Centre.
This brings the total of recovery and discharged cases in the state to 6,099.
SDMC also recorded 162 new person-under-investigation (PUI) cases, with 11 cases still pending laboratory lab results.
At the same time, 295 new person-under-surveillance cases were recorded in the state today, making it a total of 5,516 cases being quarantined in 85 hotels and other accommodations across Sarawak.