By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, May 25: College students from public and private institutions of higher learning who have returned to their homes and hometown recently are required to undergo Covid-19 swab test.
State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said college students who have yet to be screened for Covid-19 are required to undergo the swab test at the respective divisions of their hometown.
This follows a report of a female student from a private college in Kuching who has returned to her hometown in Belawai near Tanjung Manis recently and tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday.
She was believed to have travelled back to Belawai from Kuching on May 12 and placed under home quarantine as person under investigation (PUI) under Section 15 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases 1988 (Act 342) starting from May 12 to May 25.
As her second swab test conducted yesterday was positive for Covid-19, she was sent to Sibu Hospital for treatment by medical staff from the Ministry of Health (MoH).
Apart from that, it was learnt that the wristband attached to the female student’s hand was believed to be removed by her prior to her completing the 14 days quarantine period.
Hence, MoH medical staff is currently looking out for the close contacts of the female college student at her village at Belawai.
At the same time, SDMC said college students who have yet to perform Covid-19 swab test will be contacted by the respective Divisional Disaster Management Committee (DDMC).
SDMC added DDMC together with the cooperation of MoH will provide active case detection to identify close contacts with Covid-19 positive patients.
It revealed that students who are required to perform home quarantine need to stay at home and not allowed to go out from their houses.
SDMC pointed out that stern action will be taken against college students who have violated their home quarantine order, hanging out in the public.
For those celebrating Hari Gawai, the committee outlined that “ngabang Gawai” or open house visitation from one longhouse to another is prohibited. -DayakDaily
