MIRI – Covid-19 is spreading at random in certain areas in Sarawak without any known sources of origin or established pattern, says state Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He said Kuching has joined Sibu as a major Sarawak urban centre hit by coronavirus outbreaks.
Kuching yesterday saw 23 Covid-19 cases classified as due to ‘community spread’, whereby the 23 people who were infected do not know where they got it from, be it a known contact or an infected person, he said.
“These 23 cases show that community spread is rampant in Kuching. The people must take extra precautions,” he warned today via a posting in social media groups.
Last month, it was found that many Covid-19 patients in Sibu Hospital were without any known link to other infected persons.
Sibu Municipal Council chairman Clarence Ting said the random spread of infections shows that the coronavirus is present in every town.
Sim today said the people have no other alternatives but to avoid crowds, practise safe social distancing, maintain personal hygiene like sanitising their hands, and wearing face masks in public.
Sarawak has seen 73 deaths and nearly 7,800 positive infections up to yesterday. Sibu, Kuching and Miri are among the worst-hit red zones. – The Vibes, February 22, 2021