By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 16: Kuching, Bau and Lundu districts registered triple-digit increases in new Covid-19 cases, contributing 1,144 or 73.05 per cent of the 1,566 total recorded in Sarawak today.
This is a new record high for daily infections in Sarawak and the first time it has exceeded the 1,500-mark, with the previous highest daily total being 1,216 cases recorded on Aug 12.
According to the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), Kuching reported 731 cases, followed by Bau (238), Lundu (175), Serian (84), Samarahan (44), Betong (40), Sibu (37), Miri (34), Bintulu (29), Subis (29), Song (27), Mukah (19), Sri Aman (17), Asajaya (12), Selangau (9), Tebedu (8), Pusa (7), Lubok Antu (6), Dalat (6), Tatau (6), Saratok (5), Beluru (2) and Lawas (1).
With this, the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases in Sarawak now stands at 88,572.
SDMC also reported that of the total cases reported today, 904 cases were detected via screenings of those who had contact with positive cases, where 98 were symptomatic and 312 cases involved individuals linked to active clusters where only nine of them were symptomatic.
Additionally, 203 cases were detected via other screenings in health facilities, 143 from screenings of symptomatic individuals, two Import A cases involving individuals returning from Myanmar, and two Import B cases involving individuals returning from Sabah.
SDMC revealed that 1,314 cases were in Category 1 whereby the patients do not develop any symptoms, while there were 250 cases with mild symptoms in Category 2.
There were only two Category 5 cases involving patients with lung infections that required ventilators.
At the same time, the State recorded one new Covid-19 fatality involving a 73-year-old man from Serian who had history of stroke, bringing the State’s death toll to 487.
On the same day, Sarawak also reported 513 patients had recovered and were discharged from hospitals statewide, bringing the total number of recovered and discharged cases to 78,557 or 88.69 per cent of total Covid-19 cases.
There are 9,345 individuals still undergoing treatment at various hospital isolation wards in the State. — DayakDaily
