By Ling Hui
KUCHING, April 5: A cross-district shopping trip from Meradong to Sibu gave rise to the new longhouse cluster dubbed the Sungai Mupong Cluster which was declared yesterday (April 4).
State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) advisor Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian said investigations had revealed the cluster’s index case had travelled to Sibu to buy essential items.
So far, he added, there are 17 positive cases from the cluster after the detection of the index case who was symptomatic.
As for the Sungai Rassau Cluster in Matu which was also declared yesterday, Dr Sim revealed it involved two longhouses following a social gathering with individuals returning from a Covid-19 red zone.
As a result, he said 11 people tested positive for Covid-19 while there are 228 more samples awaiting laboratory test results.
“Since beginning of 2021, there are 59 clusters with 7,305 positive cases (exposed to 71,545 persons) with 40 deaths,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.
He also highlighted there were eight clusters related to funerals with a total of 3,595 positive cases where 46,856 individuals were screened with 30 fatalities.
Dr Sim, who is also Minister for Local Government and Housing, said other social gatherings such as wedding ceremonies, ‘gotong-royong’ (work parties), anniversaries, cockfighting activities, festivals, and farewell parties had led to about 32 clusters in Sarawak with 1,928 positive cases and five deaths.
He emphasised again after SDMC’s announcement yesterday, that social gatherings are no longer allowed in Covid-19 orange and red zones to avoid similar cases from resurfacing. — DayakDaily
