By Nur Ashikin Louis
MIRI, June 6: Six residents of an interior Penan village in Long Lamai have tested positive for Covid-19, confirming fears about a possible Covid-19 outbreak there.
The Miri Divisional Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) in a statement today said the positive cases were detected through an investigative operation and Covid-19 surveillance test by a medical team from the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH).
They were specially flown in through a mercy flight with an aircraft belonging to the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) last Thursday (June 3).
Based on earlier reports, the medical team managed to take eight swabs for testing after persuading the villagers via various methods to take the Covid-19 screening.
Miri DDMC also disclosed that Kampung Long Lamai is now under an Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) effective June 5 until June 19, based on the Long Lamai Risk Investigation Operations Report which revealed there is a close contact of a Covid-19 case identified in the locality by the Miri Divisional Health Office.
“Following the implementation of EMCO, the DDMC has sent a 12-man team to Long Lamai at 9am today.
“They will set up a Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) in the area to enable them to provide treatment, health screening and screening tests,” the Committee said.
Transport Minister and Coordinating Minister for Miri DDMC Datuk Lee Kim Shin, who was present to send off the medical and enforcement team at Pengkalan Operasi Udara Bomba Miri this morning said, a total of 186 food aid packages were prepared by the State Social Welfare Department (JKMS) for the villagers.
Kampung Long Lamai has a total of 110 families consisting of 371 residents.
Earlier, a positive case was detected through Active Case Detection (ACD) by the Miri MOH involving a woman who returned to Miri after attending her mother’s funeral in Long Lamai two weeks ago. — DayakDaily
