MIRI – Sarawak is imposing enhanced public standard operating procedures (SOPs) today in an effort to break the Covid-19 chain of infection, which has caused 195 deaths and over 33,000 infections so far.
State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said the enhanced SOPs will hopefully be effective circuit breakers to stop spread of the infection.
“The current SOPs that had been drawn up by the state Disaster Management Committee have been tightened considerably starting today.
“These enhanced SOPs will be in place until May 17 at least and they will be strictly enforced (by the police and local councils).
“We urge the public to cooperate and obey the enhanced SOPs.
“For the sake of every one of us in Sarawak, we must make these circuit breakers work," he said in his social media chats today.
Among the enhanced SOPs is a statewide ban on seminars, meetings, conferences, training workshops and similar gatherings, in venues including hotels, community halls and convention centres, and public and private offices.
Those going out to public places cannot be in a group of more than five at a time and they must maintain physical distancing.
Gyms for exercise and sports are not allowed to operate.
Also prohibited from operating are massage centres, karaoke establishments and other entertainment centres.
Sarawak yesterday confirmed five more Covid-19 deaths, even as the state Disaster Management Committee said it is working on these stricter “circuit-breaker SOPs” to halt the hike in infections and deaths.
The latest coronavirus deaths included a man aged 44 who collapsed in his house in Bintangor in central Sarawak, and was confirmed dead upon admission at Bintangor Health Clinic.
The state Disaster Management Committee in a press statement had said tests on the deceased confirmed that he had died of Covid-19.
The other four deaths confirmed yesterday were that of a man aged 79 in Sibu Hospital, a man aged 75 in Sarikei Hospital, a 71-year-old man in Bintulu Hospital and a woman aged 79 in Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching.
The secretariat, in extending condolences to the families of the deceased, said the death toll in Sarawak has reached 195.
There were 391 new infections statewide yesterday.
Sibu district recorded 88 new cases, while Bintulu had 55, Miri 50, Kapit 33, Kuching 26, Selangau 23, Sri Aman 19, Samarahan 11, and numerous districts had under 10 cases each.
There are 76 clusters statewide.
The secretariat said the state authorities are finding effective circuit breakers to halt the transmission of Covid-19 and flatten the infection curve, as well as the fatalities.
“We are urging Sarawakians not to travel to high-risk districts and states that are already under MCO,” it said. – The Vibes, May 7, 2021
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