By Karen Bong
KUCHING, July 28: The Sentosa Cluster will not be put under Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) despite 30 Covid-19 cases reported from there as of today.
State health director Dr Chin Zin Hing however emphasised that aggressive random sampling in the identified areas have been and will continue to be carried out.
“Active Case Detection (ACD) operations are being carried out and we are also conducting surveillance for places in the area which have been frequented or visited by the cases such as eateries.
“Random samplings are being done in the areas as well as investigations being carried out. So from there, we will see the result,” he told a press conference on the Covid-19 situation in the state here today.
State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said that the medical teams have gone beyond contact tracing and tracking.
“ACD is being carried out and that’s why we are going to places frequented by the cases including markets and coffeeshops.
“We will make an assessment as all of us are following up with the situation closely and daily so that we can readjust the strategies as and when required,” he added.
On July 21, the Sentosa Cluster was declared after five more persons working in Sentosa Hospital were confirmed positive for Covid-19. They were linked to a case reported on July 19.
One case was reported in the cluster on July 22 and July 23 respectively but on July 24, eight cases were detected via active contact tracing. All of them were healthcare workers at the hospital and were asymptomatic.
This led to extended contact tracing activity which included random sampling for the cluster the next day.
On July 25, four more cases were reported and the hospital was ordered to be closed to the public. All workers have been placed under quarantine at the hospital.
On July 26, Sarawak reported another case from the cluster while nine more cases were added to the cluster today. — DayakDaily
