SIBU, Jan 9: Residents here have been strongly advised not to go out unnecessarily as “Sibu is no longer safe” after 37 new positive Covid-19 cases were detected on Jan 8 from Pasai Cluster.
The 37 persons from Rumah Langi in Pasai Siong got infected with the disease from a woman (case 1,175) who came back from Johor to attend her father’s funeral ceremony on Dec 29.
“Please just stay at home and don’t go out unnecessarily as Sibu is no longer safe,” said Assistant Minister of Local Government and Housing Dr Annuar Rapaee at a joint press conference with Sibu Disaster Management Committee chairman, Charles Siaw today.
Dr Annuar who was speaking from a video conference as he is undergoing 14-day quarantine at a hotel here said though Sibu is not under a lockdown, the people are advised to take extra precaution to prevent themselves from contracting the disease.
“Stay away from Covid area and don’t come out unnecessarily,” he said.
Dr Annuar said to contain the spread of the virus from Pasai Cluster, the eight longhouses in Pasai Siong had been sealed off by the police for 14-days from Dec 8.
The longhouses are Rumah Langi Ambau, Rumah Jelian Nayor, Rumah Ringgit Unchu, Rumah Pom Maja, Rumah Jeram Empin, Rumah Kely Chundau and Rumah Nyambong Ajon.
Another major step taken was to stop home quarantine.
“From today onwards, there is no more home quarantine but at designated quarantine centres. We are now trying to look for more quarantine centres. Presently we have enough rooms at designated quarantine centres,” he said.
The quarantine centres are at two hotels, Kolej Laila Taib, Kemuyang Youth Camp, and Sibu Diocesan Pastoral Centre.
The Nangka assemblyman said if there is an overwhelmingly positive case, they would not hesitate to stop all flights to Sibu.
However, flights from Johor Baharu and Kota Kinabalu to Sibu respectively will be cancelled starting tomorrow (Jan 10), leaving on two flights per week from Kuala Lumpur that are allowed.
Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee, he said had withdrawn immediately any approval to hold any event or public assembly program that it had previously approved. -DayakDaily
