KUCHING, Sept 27: Two new Covid-19 cases which are not linked but involving local frontline officers at the Sarawak-Sabah Border Control Post in Merapok, Lawas were reported in Sarawak today.
The State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) in a statement today disclosed that this thus raised the state’s tally of Covid-19 cases to 706.
The men, Case 705 and 706, were screened on Sept 20 after being suspected of having contact with a Covid-19 postive case in the course of their duties.
Their samples, SDMC revealed, were sent to the Kota Kinabalu Public Health Laboratory in Sabah and the rT-PCR test results returned positive on Sept 26.
One of the cases, it added, had shown early symptoms on Sept 7 while the other was asymptomatic. Both cases are now isolated and being treated at Miri Hospital.
Earlier investigations showed that the two cases did not have a history of travelling outside the country or visited Covid-19 red zones in Sabah.
The cause of their infections is still being investigated but preliminary investigation suggested that they could have been infected in the line of duty at the border post.
Apart from working at the same place, early investigation also found that the two cases were not related. As such, further investigation is needed to determine if there is a new Covid-19 cluster emerging.
Close contact tracing activities are actively being conducted including for families, workplace and social contacts.
Meanwhile, SDMC also disclosed that there were no recoveries and discharges recorded today and as such, the total number of recovered cases in Sarawak is maintained at 681 or 96.46 per cent of total positive cases so far.
A total of six patients is being isolated and treated in hospitals with three in Miri Hospital and one each in Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), Sungai Buloh Hospital, Selangor and Bintulu Hospital.
A patient who was screened in Sandakan, Sabah and detected in Sarawak is receiving treatment in Bintulu Hospital.
Sarawak also reported two more Persons-Under-Investigation (PUI) with no cases pending laboratory test results.
In addition, 248 more Persons-Under-Surveillance (PUS) have been checked into identified hotels to undergo quarantines.
As of today, there were a total number of 820 individuals undergoing quarantine in 11 hotels throughout the state. — DayakDaily
