Covid-19: Another record high for Sarawak with 607 new positive cases today, four deaths

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A file photo shows a swab test being conducted.

KUCHING (April 13): Sarawak recorded four Covid-19 death cases along with 607 new cases today, the highest single-day increase in the state so far, the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said.

This new record, which also puts Sarawak at the top of the list in the country, surpassed the state’s previous highest daily cases at 555 on April 9.

The committee said three districts in the state registered the most cases with Bintulu being the highest at 130, followed by Kuching and Sibu, which both recorded 106 cases respectively.

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“Other districts which recorded cases were Mukah (52), Miri (49), Kapit (33), Meradong (29), Saratok (23), Samarahan (14), Sarikei (14), Betong (8), Bukit Mabong (8), Selangau (8), Subis (8), Dalat (5), Kanowit (3), Matu (3), Julau (2), Serian (2), Sri Aman (2), Asajaya (1), and Beluru (1).

“The total number of positive cases in the state now stands at 20,959,” SDMC said in its daily Covid-19 statement.

On the fatalities, the committee said the 125th case involved a 36-year-old woman who was admitted to Miri Hospital for elective surgery.

“The victim was detected positive for Covid-19 on April 10 after she was swabbed using the RT-PCR test.

“Her health condition was found to be deteriorating and she passed away on the same day,” it said, adding that the deceased had lupus erythematosus.

It said the 126th death case involved a 67-year-old woman who was admitted to Sibu Hospital for gastrointestinal bleeding.

She was swabbed using the RT-PCR test and was found to be positive for Covid-19 on March 31.

“Her health condition deteriorated and she died on April 12. The victim had a history of comorbidities namely hypertension, diabetes, inflammatory liver disease (Hepatitis) and end-stage kidney disease,” it said.

Another 67-year-old, this time a man, was the state 127th Covid-19 fatality, said SDMC.

It said the victim was admitted to Sibu Hospital for shortness of breath and had symptoms of fever, cough and weakness of the body over the past few days.

“He was screened using the RT-PCR test and was found positive on March 2. His condition deteriorated and he passed away on April 12.

“The victim had a history of comorbidities namely hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, heart disease and chronic kidney disease,” it said.

On the 128th fatality, it said a 42-year-old man was admitted to Sibu Hospital for shortness of breath.

“The case also experienced symptoms of cough and loss of appetite a few days prior. He was swabbed using the RT-PCR test, which returned positive on April 6. His health condition deteriorated and he passed away on April 12,” it said, adding that the victim had comorbidities namely hypertension and stroke.

On the new cases reported today, SDMC said 41 individuals out of the 607 cases had shown signs and symptoms of Covid-19 infection when screenings were conducted.

“There were also 372 cases detected from individuals who were instructed to be quarantined at quarantine centres,” it said.

In summary, it said today’s cases consisted of 363 cases from screenings of individuals with contact to positive cases, 174 cases which were detected from existing active clusters, 41 cases from symptomatic individual screenings at health facilities, and 20 cases from other screening at health facilities.

“There were also nine import cases involving individuals who had returned from other states in the country,” it said.

SDMC also gave a breakdown of the cases recorded in each affected district.

It said all of Bintulu’s cases were detected from screenings of contacts to positive cases while 60 out of Kuching’s 106 cases were from the new Jalan Puncak Borneo Cluster.

“The district also recorded 31 cases from screenings of contacts to positive cases; nine Import B cases and six which were detected from other screenings,” it added.

In Sibu, 74 cases were traced from screenings of contacts to positive cases; 17 from screenings of symptomatic individuals; 11 from the Bulatan Aman Cluster; two from the Jalan Maju Cluster; and two from surveillance at health facilities.

“Mukah’s 52 cases were mainly linked to the Jalan Bambangan Cluster which recorded 47 cases while the remaining five were from screenings of contacts to positive cases,” said the committee.

It said Miri recorded 40 cases which were detected from screenings of contacts to positive cases; five from screenings of symptomatic individuals and four from the Jalan Bangunan Kerajaan Cluster.

“In Kapit, 18 cases were found from screenings of contacts to positive cases; 13 from other screenings and two from screenings of symptomatic individuals while in Meradong, 17 cases have been linked to the Sungai Kawi cluster; ten from screenings of contacts to positive cases; and two from screenings of symptomatic individuals,” it said.

In Saratok, it said all of its cases were from the Disso Cluster with the exception of one case which was detected from screenings of contacts to positive cases.

“Samarahan’s cases were mainly from screenings of contacts to positive cases (12) and two which were traced from the Jalan Badaruddin Cluster.

“In Sarikei, six cases were detected from screenings of contacts to positive cases; five from screenings of symptomatic individuals and three from the Jalan Baji Cluster,” it said.

Selangau recorded seven cases from screenings of contacts to positive cases and one from screenings of symptomatic individuals while Subis recorded four cases which were linked to the Abak Bon Cluster and four from screenings of contacts to positive cases.

“In Dalat, one case was traced from screenings of contacts to positive cases while another four were from screenings of symptomatic individuals; whereas in Kanowit, two were from screenings of symptomatic individuals and one from screenings of contacts to positive cases,” said the committee.

In Serian, the district recorded one case from screenings of contacts to positive cases and one from other screenings while Asajaya’s sole case was detected from the Kampung Binyu Cluster.

All cases recorded in Betong, Bukit Mabong, Matu and Beluru were detected from screenings of contacts to positive cases; while in Julau, its two cases were from screenings of symptomatic individuals.

Meanwhile, SDMC said 189 Covid-19 patients had recovered today

Some 66 discharged from Sarikei Hospital and the quarantine and low-risk patients treatment centre (PKRC), 45 from Bintulu Hospital, 31 from Sibu Hospital and PKRC, 24 from Miri Hospital, nine from Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), seven from PKRC under Kapit Hospital, four from PKRC Serian, one from PKRC Lawas; one from PKRC Mukah; and one from PKRC Betong.

“The total number of recoveries in the state have now increased to 16,639 or 79.39 per cent out of the overall cases,” it said.

It also said that 4,129 patients were still being isolated and treated at hospitals and PKRCs throughout the state

A total of 607 new person under investigation (PUI) cases were also reported with none pending lab test results.