A resident undergoes swab test during the ACD session.
SIBU (Feb 20): Residents at Tiong Hua Zone have voluntarily come forward to undergo Covid-19 swab tests at Sibu Municipal Council’s (SMC) multi-storey car park at Wong Nai Siong Road during the active case detection (ACD) operations which begun today.
SMC Chairman Clarence Ting said these residents came forward for the tests with the help from police and army personnel who went door to door to ensure everybody at the affected area would get tested.
“With the help from the police and army, they are going to all the lanes at the front portion. They are going around asking them (residents) to come and this will carry on for two days from 10am to 2pm.
“For those who did not come today, please come tomorrow,” he said.
He said ACD for Tiong Hua Zone within these two days was important to determine the number of positive cases at the zone.
Residents at Tiong Hua Zone queueing up at SMC Multistorey Car Park to undergo swab tests for Covid-19.
He said if many cases were detected, Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) would make the decision on whether or not to enforce a lockdown and implement the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in the area.
He pointed out that ACD done according to zones was a new strategy being implemented by the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC).
With this new strategy, there would be no drive-through swab tests at Sibu state library from now on.
“So today and tomorrow, it will be here. Then on Monday and Tuesday, there will be ACD at two places simultaneously.
“One is at the lake garden for the residents at Permai and Jeriah zones, and another one is at Bukit Lima Forest Reserve for the people at Sentosa zone,” he pointed out.
He added that those at Sukun area would be asked to undergo swab tests at Lanang Health Clinic.
Meanwhile, SMC councillor in charge of Tiong Hua Zone Cr Joseph Chieng urged the residents in the zone to be cooperative and to undergo Covid-19 swab testing at the car park.
He said ACD is for everyone including children.
“So, you should bring your children for swab tests as well. I hope with this ACD, we can identify those infected by the virus and cut the chain of infection here,” he said.
He said there were people complaining that two days for the ACD was not enough due to big population at the zone.
He said he had raised the concern to Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee coordinator Dr Annuar Rapaee.
“Dr Annuar assured that if the response is good, SDMC would consider extending the ACD for the zone. It is not an issue,” he said.
Meanwhile, he opposed to the Ministry of Education’s decision to resume the school classes in early March.
“I strongly object, especially for Sibu as a red zone, it is very dangerous, especially when on average we have about 100 cases daily. For those in the red zone, we should delay the school reopening until it has turned to yellow or even a green zone,” he said.
He hoped that SDMC would talk to the ministry on such matters.
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