By Christopher Lidom
KUCHING, Feb 27: The lockdown implemented in Kampung Emperoh Jambu is due to the increased number of villagers infected with the Covid-19 virus, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
According to Uggah, so far a total of 155 positive cases have been detected and 60 of the cases are among the villagers themselves.
“We need to bring the situation under control and that is why we enforced the lockdown from Feb 23 to March 8.
“We apologise for the inconveniences but this is inevitable in order to stop the spread and to save lives,” he said when met by the media after visiting the Kampung Emperoh Jambu Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown Operation Room in Padawan, near here today.
Uggah, who is also State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman, also called for cooperation from the villagers to stay put in their home, not gathering around or visiting each other.
“If we confine ourselves to our home, we can stop the spread as well as avoiding getting infected,” he added.
At the same time, Uggah noted SDMC would now only focus on the specific area affected instead of locking down the whole division or district.
He explained SDMC strategy is to detect, test, trace, isolate and support, which has successfully been done in a number of places with positive cases.
“We have managed to bring the situation under control where we have reduced and then put an end to the spread,” he added.
Meanwhile, during the visit, Uggah also presented a foodstuffs donation contributed by the non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the area elected representatives and private sectors, to Penghulu Richard Daho, who received the contribution on behalf of the villagers.
Present at the function were Mambong assemblyman Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, deputy state secretary Datuk Ik Pahon and State Health Department director Dr Chin Zin Hing.
Also present was Puncak Borneo Member of Parliament Datuk Willie Mongin, who is also Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities. — DayakDaily
