The PCR test kits and other equipment being unloaded upon arrival at Long Lamai.
MIRI (June 4): Health Ministry personnel were flown to the remote Penan village of Long Lamai yesterday morning to conduct Covid-19 swab tests on its villagers, following the recent detection of a positive case.
Miri Disaster Management Committee (SDDMC) in a statement said a Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) AW139 helicopter took off at 9.17am from here with the health personnel, who brought along PCR test kits, and arrived in Long Lamai at 10.27am.
“Investigation and swab tests are required following the detection of a positive case involving a woman who returned to Miri after attending her mother’s funeral in Long Lamai two weeks ago.
“The woman’s close contacts from among family members have been detected earlier and swabbed. They are currently being placed at a quarantine centre in Miri while waiting for their swab test result,” read the statement.
The statement added that the Bomba helicopter was due to arrive back here with the health team yesterday evening.
On Wednesday, Mulu assemblyman Dato Gerawat Gala confirmed to The Borneo Post that the remote village had been exposed to Covid-19.
He said the woman in question, who hails from the village but resides in Miri, had returned for her mother’s funeral two weeks ago and had tested positive upon her return to Miri.
He also refuted a widely-circulated WhatsApp message that claimed many Long Lamai villagers had developed Covid-19 symptoms and that the authorities had not responded to the outbreak.
Long Lamai, which has a population of about 300, is located about 10 hours’ drive from Miri city and another two hours by longboat from Long Puah.
The village has no clinic and those who are ill will usually go to the nearest clinic which is in Long Banga, some two hours by boat.