KUCHING, Feb 13: Sarawak has made preparations and is ready with facilities, strategies, logistics, doctors, nurses and other health workers in combatting any possible spread of the novel coronavirus, now known as the Covid-19 disease.
State Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas informed today that the Health Department would make available additional thermal scanners at the Kuching International Airport (KIA) as well as Sibu, Bintulu and Miri Airports and Sungai Tujoh Immigration, Customs and Quarantine (ICQ).
He had yesterday (Feb 12) attended a medical preparedness and logistic briefing given by doctors and senior representatives from the State Health Department, the Kuching General Hospital, Institute of Community Medicine Unimas and the State Security and Enforcement Unit.
Present at the closed door briefing were the Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, deputy state secretary Datu Ik Pahon Joyik and director of the State Security and Enforcement Unit Datu Dr Chai Khin Chung.
The Deputy Chief Minister emphasised that more doctors and personnel including those from other units and disciplines were being trained to handle any situation.
“Their training started from the middle of last month. We have enough manpower and we now are focused on developing excellent team spirit in them.
“The planned quarantine centre at the state Public Health College in Kota Sentosa is also being readied and could accommodate up to 90 patients,” he said.
On the delay in test results for suspected cases, Uggah explained that University Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) was ready to collaborate with the State Health Department.
He added that more Health Declaration Forms will be sent for distribution at checkpoints on the Brunei side to ease the long queue at the Sungai Tujoh ICQ.
He advised people to make their personal hygiene a top priority at all times and to closely follow the advice given by the state Health Department.
He also urged visitors to the state to follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Health.
Meanwhile, nine new Patient Under Investigation(PUI) cases were reported yesterday (Feb 12) with five at the Miri Hospital and four at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH).
These bring the cumulative PUI cases reported from Jan 10 to Feb 12 statewide to 76.
To date 59 cases were negative while 17 are still awaiting laboratory test results.
All these cases involved 57 Malaysians, 16 Chinese nationals, one Thai, one Indonesian and a Canadian.
The state Health Department had screened 5,350 arrivals at various airports, land and sea entry/exit points statewide but no PUI cases have been recorded. —DayakDaily
