Pandemic in S’wak at containment stage, but war rages on

There is a drop of Covid-19 positive cases today (Jan 27, 2021).

By Lian Cheng

KUCHING, Jan 27: The Covid-19 pandemic in Sarawak is in “containment stage” and it is showing a downward trend.

Finally showing some signs of relief, Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas announced a downward Covid-19 trend but cautious calls of “the war is still far from being won” were still ringing.

“We were briefed today that the trend of Covid-19 is going down. I don’t want to say too much, as once we say it, the people will get complacent and they will start thinking they are safe.

“The war is still far from being won. We need to have a lot of collaboration and cooperation from all quarters.

“Bur we have witnessed that our policies seemed to be successful in controlling (the spread), especially when we lock down longhouses,” said Uggah at a press conference to update Covid-19 today.

Compared to the last 10 days, Covid-19 cases in Sarawak has shown a significant drop to 70 positive cases today. Despite so, Uggah warned that if Sarawakians do not work together, Sarawak would not be able to hold the Covid-19 downward trend.

Uggah who is also Deputy Chief Minister said presently Covid-19 in Sarawak is in “containment stage” where the main direction of SDMC policy is to make sure that the pandemic does not spread.

Comparing Sarawak’s Covid-19 situation with that of Peninsular Malaysia, he said there is a high number of positive cases there and he classified the situation as “mitigation stage” where the authorities are at the stage of minimising Covid-19’s impact on life and society.

Whereas in Sarawak, as Sarawak is in containment stage, he said the strategy is to trace, test and isolate. Lockdown at longhouses, he explained, is part of SDMC’s isolation strategy. – DayakDaily