Aggressive contact tracing, tracking starts in Kota Sentosa tomorrow

Uggah (centre) addressing the Covid-19 press conference. Also seen are Dr Sim (left) and Dr Chin.

By Karen Bong

KUCHING, July 24: Intensive random contact tracing and tracking will be carried out in Kota Sentosa starting tomorrow (July 24).

State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas emphasised that this measure has been decided following the increase in Kota Sentosa Cluster.

Eight of today’s nine new Covid-19 cases reported in Kuching and Samarahan today were linked to the Kota Sentosa Cluster, bringing the total number of cases in the cluster to 16.

“We will carry out tracing and tracking of the close contacts beginning with those living near to the Kota Sentosa Hospital starting tomorrow.

“We will do our best to reach out to as many people in the area as well as to carry out more tests in order to cut the chain of Covid-19 transmission there,” he told a press conference on Covid-19 here today.

On locking down the Kota Sentosa Hospital following increase locally transmitted cases linked there, Uggah said the public have been advised not to go to the hospital.

“But there are patients there who need to be taken care of and the hospital is taking all the measures including testing all personnel and staff in hospital while extra security is also put in place.

“Doctors taking care of the patients there are not allowed to go home but stay in the hospital and quarantine there,” he explained.

He reiterated that all necessary precautions have been taken to ensure the health and safety of not only the hospital staff, the premises as well as the surrounding community.

Uggah revealed that eight medical specialists from Kuala Lumpur were in Kuching today where they held meeting to assess the Covid-19 situation in the Kuching in which Minister for Local Government and Housing Dato Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian and state Health director Dr Chin Zin Hing also attended.

The Deputy Chief Minister represented SDMC to attend the national-level meeting on Covid-19 pandemic in Putrajaya yesterday (July 23).—DayakDaily