Bernama file photo shows a health worker conducting a Covid-19 swab test.
KUCHING (July 19): Sarawak witnessed a rise of daily Covid-19 cases today with 301 new infections, of which more than half were recorded in Kuching alone, said the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC).
It said in its Covid-19 daily update that the district had registered 193 cases – the most out of the 19 districts which reported new cases.
“The state also recorded three Covid-19 death cases in Kuching, Sarikei and Kapit, bringing the death toll to 447,” it said.
Districts which registered new cases were Bau (26), Sarikei (23), Miri (10), Sibu (8), Sri Aman (6), Samarahan (5), Mukah (5), Saratok (4), Song (3), Kapit (3), Lundu (3), Bintulu (3), Serian (2), Meradong (2), Telang Usan (2), and one each in Simunjan, Kabong and Kanowit.
The state’s cumulative number of Covid-19 cases now stands at 71,601.
The committee said the new cases today consisted of 187 cases which were detected from screenings of individuals with contact to positive cases; 36 from screenings of individuals from existing active clusters; 49 from other screenings at health facilities; and 26 from screenings of symptomatic individuals at health facilities.
“There were also three Import B cases involving individuals who had returned from Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor,” it said.
On the fatalities, it said the 445th death case involved a 50-year-old woman from Kuching who had tested positive for Covid-19 on July 15.
“The victim had comorbidities of hypertension and dyslipidemia. She died at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH),” it said.
In Sarikei, it said the victim was a 76-year-old man from Sarikei with a history of hypertension and heart disease.
“The victim was found positive on July 16. His body was brought to Sarikei Hospital,” it said.
A 79-year-old man from Bukit Mabong was the state’s 447th death case.
The committee said the victim, who tested positive on July 15, had no history of comorbidities and that his body was brought to Kapit Hospital.
Meanwhile, a total of 514 recovered Covid-19 patients have been discharged from hospitals and quarantine and low-risk patients treatment centres (PKRC) across the state.
“The total number of recoveries in the state have now increased to 66,379 or 92.71 per cent out of the overall cases,” said the committee.
It also said that 4,609 patients were still warded and under medical supervision at hospitals and PKRCs throughout the state.