Photo shows Rumah Sali, which is being cordoned off following the imposition of EMCO on the longhouse – in force for two weeks, starting yesterday.
KANOWIT (Apr 29): The first lockdown experience earlier this year served as a wake-up call for Nur Sabrina Abdullah when her longhouse was placed under Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO), in force from Feb 4 to 26.
Little did this 32-year-old mother of five expect that the same restriction would be imposed again on the longhouse, following the detection of confirmed Covid-19 infection there.
The 30-door Rumah Sali Kirak at Nanga Ngungun Resettlement Scheme here is one of two longhouses in Kanowit that have been placed under the two-week EMCO – effective yesterday.
During an observation yesterday, the sight of the yellow ‘Police Line’ and ‘Do Not Cross’ tapes indicated that Rumah Sali was off-limits to outsiders – nobody would be allowed in and out of the settlement.
An elderly couple from this longhouse had tested positive for Covid-19.
It was not immediately known the reason for EMCO to be imposed on the other longhouse – Rumah Seleyau at Sungai Tuah, located about 80km away from Rumah Sali.
“This is so unexpected, and depressing at the same time. Furthermore, it’s Ramadan month, and I have a three-month-old baby,” she told The Borneo Post yesterday via WhatsApp message.
Nur Sabrina said last year’s fasting month was observed without much hassle, despite the movement control order being enforced nationwide due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This year, we’re still adjusting to the new norms when it comes to fasting.
“Now, things have changed so much – our longhouse is being placed under lockdown for the second time, and there’s also fear among the villagers of catching Covid-19.
“We definitely cannot go out to buy food for breaking fast and also for ‘sahur’ (pre-dawn meals) throughout this lockdown period.”
The first lockdown on Rumah Sali was enforced following the detection of one positive case involving a 36-year-old woman, who was then place at Kanowit Hospital.
The first round of swab-tests was conducted on Feb 6 involving over 65 longhouse residents, which yielded all negative results except one, which was inconclusive.
The inconclusive case, involving a woman in her late 60s, was later re-tested and the result was positive for Covid-19.
The longhouse was released from lockdown after the second round of swab-tests on the residents came out negative on Feb 26.
Nur Sabrina, who converted to Islam when she got married 15 years ago, expressed her hope that contact-tracing among her fellow villagers – set to be conducted over the next few days – would come back with negative results.
“I pray that the lockdown period would not be extended up till Hari Raya Aidilfitri; otherwise, we might celebrate the occasion under lockdown,” she said.
Kanowit has recorded a total of 486 cumulative Covid-19 cases so far, after the first 12 cases linked to the Pasai Cluster were detected in the district on Jan 12.
Three deaths had also been recorded in the district.
Kanowit now has a Red Zone status, following the report of 25 new cases yesterday.
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