Dr Sim Kui Hian
KUCHING (May 17): The 29-year-old woman who died in Bintulu on May 13 is Sarawak’s youngest Covid-19 fatality, State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) advisor Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian revealed.
“Young life with lots of potential cut short by Covid-19,” he said in a Facebook post last night, while offering his condolences to the family of the deceased.
He also expressed concern over obesity in Sarawak during the pandemic, saying: “If obesity is a risk, half of Sarawak population will be at risk of Covid-19.”
The woman was Sarawak’s 223rd death from Covid-19 and one of five reported by SDMC in its daily report yesterday.
According to the committee, the woman was admitted into Bintulu Hospital after she was diagnosed with a fever at a private clinic.
Her RT-PCR test returned positive for Covid-19 on May 4 and she died after her health deteriorated. SDMC said the woman had obesity-related comorbidity.
Sarawak’s Covid-19 death toll rose to 224 yesterday with a total 38,383 infections since the pandemic hit the state.
In a separate Facebook post, Dr Sim revealed that the number of people being admitted in intensive care units (ICU) had been rising since April 16.
He said on April 16 there were 227 ICU admissions; on April 30, it rose to 328 cases with 161 requiring ventilators and 14 deaths, and on May 16, it went up further to 520 admissions with 272 requiring ventilators and 36 deaths.
Dr Sim warned that Sarawak’s healthcare resources was limited and it was vital for the people to work together to contain the pandemic.
“For Sarawak, the best is for us not to be in situation like West Malaysia (only 1 month). We not only don’t have so many ICU resources (which money can help) neither highly trained ICU nurses and specialists (which money can’t help),” he said referring to the huge spike in cases in the peninsula.
He urged the people to also stop finger pointing, politicking and spreading fake news as it would not help Sarawak in the war against Covid-19.
“Let’s work together, let’s spirit of solidarity and our united war effort, playing our role and doing our part, self discipline and sacrifices, words of inspiration and encouragement, love for your family, friends, Sarawak; SOP and policies as advice by the medical experts (Singapore SOP and policy is a good guide to compare) will definitely make a difference. We have done it for Sarawak last year.
“Let’s do it for Sarawak in the next few weeks, buy us time before substantial amount of vaccines arrive Sarawak from June onwards,” he said.