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Covid-19: SDMC says flights to Sibu maintained, but will monitor quarantine situation closely

Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas says SDMC is monitoring the situation in Sibu where quarantine for Covid-19 is concerned. — Picture by Hari Anggara
Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas says SDMC is monitoring the situation in Sibu where quarantine for Covid-19 is concerned. — Picture by Hari Anggara

KUCHING, Dec 29 ― The State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) is monitoring the situation in Sibu where quarantine for Covid-19 is concerned, said its chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

“At the moment we are evaluating Sibu. We have found that some Sarawakians are smart as they know that Sibu does not have enough (designated) hotel rooms for quarantine so if they fly into Sarawak through Sibu, they know the probability of getting home quarantine is very high.

“We have data that showed that. It is very dangerous. We had a case in Bintulu where a person was given home quarantine and then was found positive.

“We are studying the situation in Sibu and we will discuss with the Divisional Disaster Management Committee there,” he told a press conference on Covid-19 updates yesterday.

He was asked to comment on public concerns about arrivals from Peninsular Malaysia where persons under surveillance are ordered to undergo home quarantine due to alleged shortage of hotel rooms for quarantine, as only one hotel is being designated as a quarantine centre.

Uggah however reminded that in Sarawak, designated quarantine centres are not just hotels as there were other suitable venues too.

“The Committee in Sibu is trying their best to ensure that quarantine centres are enough and if (that is) still not enough, we will look at reducing the flight. At the moment we maintain the flight,” he said. ― Borneo Post