KUCHING, May 1: Returning Sarawakian university students that were given an electronic wrist band to monitor their movement have been told to stay at home upon reaching their hometowns.
This to stop the chain of the Covid-19 outbreak, especially those returning from the red or yellow zone districts, said the State Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
He added that students given the wrist bands were those who had been quarantined at their campus for 14 days and considered isolated from the rest of the community. However, these students are still required to do their health screening after the seventh-day of their arrival.
“From the total of 287 students returning today, 26 of them will be quarantined in Kuching and another 261 were allowed to return to Serian and Samarahan, which are the red and yellow areas.
“Please stay at home. This is very important and this is our extra precaution. This is also for the good of your own family and your community,” he said.
Students coming from green areas would also be quarantined at the designated hotels for 14 days upon their arrival. They will be tested on the 10th day and if found positive, they will be relocated to the hospital for treatment, he continued.
“The quarantine order was at the advice from the medical expert, as anyone who is infected could be detected within that period.
“Sarawak has recorded a number of Covid-19 positive individuals involving those coming back from Indonesia, Singapore, United States, the United Kingdom including Kuala Lumpur.
“Just imagine, had they not been quarantined, the risk to society would be catastrophic. Sarawak has 29 green districts now that should be protected,” he said.
Uggah added that there was a case in Debak, where a person who was positive for Covid-19 was sent to the hospital and the test result turned out negative after undergoing two screenings.
He said after the negative test results, the person was sent home and moved around the community and two days later, the person underwent third testing which came out positive for Covid-19.
“So the Health Department have to trace about 15 close contact individuals and quarantine them. Even though the action could be taken against those wrist band wearers for defying the quarantine order, they should comply with it for the safety of all, not just because they fear the law.
“Please help us to stop the chain of transmission. Do your part to help yourself, your family and the society, and contact the Health Department if any symptoms such as fever, coughing and difficulty in breathing developed,” he advised. — DayakDaily
