By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, May 27: Kuching registered a two-fold increase in Covid-19 cases with 229 cases reported compared to 110 cases yesterday while Sarawak recorded 772 new cases, the State’s second highest daily number of infections.
There were also nine casualties reported, a record high for Sarawak since the Covid-19 pandemic started in the State.
According to Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Sarawak’s average number of daily fatalities increased to three cases in May as compared to one per day in March and two per day in April.
“There is a significant increase in daily Covid-19 cases after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration which involved visits whereby from May 9 to May 15, a total of 3,272 cases were reported or an average of 467 cases a day.
“The Covid-19 situation in Sarawak continued to exhibit an uptrend from an average of 467 cases a day to 520 cases a day for the following week and as at May 27, a total of 3,118 cases or an average of 623 cases a day was reported,” he said during a press conference to give updates on the latest Covid-19 situation in Sarawak today.
Uggah added the high number of new cases recorded daily in Sarawak presented challenges and obstacles to healthcare workers and frontliners in curbing the transmission of the coronavirus.
He highlighted that Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed capacity in hospitals were at critical levels whereby 81 Covid-19 cases were being treated in ICUs including 31 cases requiring breathing support.
Uggah who is also the Second Finance Minister disclosed that 714 longhouses were placed under lockdown this year and 98 longhouses are still under Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO).
Meanwhile, SDMC in a statement said 65 per cent of the 772 cases were derived from Kuching, Miri, Sibu, Bintulu and Subis.
Districts which reported new cases include Kuching with 229 cases, Miri (82), Sibu (70), Bintulu (67), Subis (52), Mukah (33), Beluru (25), Sri Aman (23), Serian (18), Kanowit (17), Betong (16), Kabong (15), Pakan (15), Selangau (14), Asajaya (13), Tatau (12), Bukit Mabong (11), Kapit (9), Tanjung Manis (8), Bau (8), Samarahan (7), Belaga (6), Dalat (4), Sarikei (4), Daro (3), Lawas (2), Lundu (2), Saratok (2), Meradong (2), Sebauh (1), Song (1) and Matu (1).
These new additions have pushed the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases in Sarawak to 44,738.
On another note, there were 343 Covid-19 patients reported recovered and discharged, bringing the total number of recoveries to 36,795 persons or 82.25 per cent of the overall cases in Sarawak.
There are 7,572 Covid-19 patients who are being treated in carious hospitals and quarantine and low-risk treatment centres throughout the State.
There were 772 new Person-Under-Investigation (PUI) cases with none awaiting Covid-19 swab test results. — DayakDaily
