From shipping company to longhouse, ‘Gawai Antu’ sparks Ijus Pengelayan Cluster with 55 positive cases

Covid-19 ... Clusters cause spike in cases.

By Nur Ashikin Louis

KUCHING, June 5: A shipping company in Kuala Baram sparked a new community cluster after spreading Covid-19 infection to a longhouse through Gawai Antu activity with 55 positive cases detected.

Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) in a daily Covid-19 statement today said the index case of the Ijus Pengelayan Cluster was detected from the shipping company.

“The infection then spread to a longhouse in Kejaman, Baram, Marudi following a Gawai Antu activity held on May 15 at the longhouse.

“A total of 163 individuals linked to this cluster have been screened whereby 55 people were tested positive for Covid-19 including the index case while 100 are negative and eight are still awaiting laboratory results,” the Committee said.

All positive cases from the cluster were referred to Miri Hospital and admitted to Miri Hospital and Miri Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) for isolation and further treatment.

With the addition of the Ijus Pengelayan Cluster, there are 10 active clusters in Miri at present. — DayakDaily