By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, March 27: A miring ceremony attended by an oil palm plantation worker in Kampung Pasir, Miri gave rise to a new cluster of Covid-19 in Miri known as the Jalan Gridbid Cluster.
According to a statement from the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) today, an oil palm plantation worker had developed fever and cough on March 10 since attended a miring ceremony held at Kampung Pasir on March 5 together with his son.
SDMC said the index case was a 71-year-old man identified through symptomatic screening at Miri Hospital on March 16.
Following further investigation and active case detection to close contacts and social contacts, another 45 Covid-19 positive cases were identified.
“SDMC said a total of 223 individuals have been screened while 153 individuals tested negative and 24 individuals are awaiting the results of their Covid-19 swab test.
Apart from that, there were two additional Covid-19 clusters identified by the State Health Department.
They are the Kampung Baru Hilir Cluster in Samarahan and the Jalan Tanjung Kidurong Cluster in Bintulu.
For the Jalan Tanjung Kidurong Cluster, it involved a primary school teacher teaching in Sungai Tisang, Bintulu who was tested positive for Covid-19.
The 50-year-old teacher who was the index case was identified following symptomatic screening at Bintulu Hospital on Mar 20 and could have been infected with Covid-19 from the community.
Following further investigation and active case detection among family members, colleagues and social contact of the teacher, another 41 Covid-19 positive cases were identified.
For the Jalan Tanjung Kidurong Cluster, a total of 152 individuals have been screened for Covid-19 and 42 cases of coronavirus including the index case have been identified.
As for the Kampung Baru Hilir Cluster, SDMC said the index case was a 65-year-old construction worker who was identified from symptomatic screening at the Sadong Jaya Clinic on Mar 19.
The committee revealed that the patient had visited Miri from March 2 to 12 and was working with five partners from the same village who were also tested positive for Covid-19.
It added the Covid-19 has spread in the village and the cluster has expanded to Kuching and Serian besides Samarahan.
As a result of active contact tracing to family members and close contacts, another 72 Covid-19 positive cases were identified.
SDMC said a total of 802 individuals linked to the cluster have been screened for Covid-19 with 73 individuals tested positive, 727 individuals tested negative and two individuals are awaiting the results of their Covid-19 swab test.
It noted all the 73 individuals were referred to Sarawak General Hospital, Serian Hospital as well as low risk quarantine centres in Kuching and Serian for further treatment. — DayakDaily
