Dennis Ngau
MIRI (June 22): Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau today pleaded with the Health Ministry (MoH) to conduct mass Covid-19 screening in his constituency to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the community following a surge in positive cases from the area over the last few days.
Dennis, when contacted today said he is worried with the situation on the ground, even though the 58 people who were tested positive yesterday are already in the quarantine centres in Miri.
“As I have said previously, we do not know about their movement prior to them being taken down to the quarantine centres. Some refused to come out to do testing, while some are in denial.
“Therefore, I would like to plead to MoH to conduct mass screening in my constituency to help identify those who may not be aware that they have contracted the virus,” he said.
He cautioned that the virus could have already spread in the community as the Orang Ulu people are known to be a close-knit community.
The State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) in its daily statement on the statewide Covid-19 situation yesterday revealed that 58 positive cases were recorded from Long Kevok, which prompted the MoH to impose total lockdown on the Penan settlement under Telang Usan constituency.
Prior to that, some 20 over Penans from Long Win were tested positive for Covid-19.
The surge in positive cases from the constituency had caused Telang Usan to be a red zone for the first time since the pandemic last year.
Besides pleading for mass screening to be conducted in his constituency, Dennis called on the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) to deploy more resources, including stationing more police personnel in the constituency to help control the people’s movement.
Meanwhile, when asked on the Covid-19 vaccination drive in the constituency, Dennis said it is now a race against time, in view of the latest Covid-19 situation in the area.
“There are three vaccination centres (PPVs) under Telang Usan. They are Long Lama PPV, Long Bedian PPV and Long San PPV.
“A total of 4,604 people had received their first dose (of Covid-19 vaccine) at Long Lama PPV as of yesterday (June 21), while 603 had completed their second dose.” he added.
He also said Long Bedian PPV and Long San PPV had each administered first dose to 1,093 and 1,141 people respectively as of June 21.