MIRI – Sarawak last month saw the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic, with soaring cases and a record-high daily death toll, but a state minister is hopeful that June will be a turning point in the virus fight as vaccination rates are expected to go up.
State Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said this month is crucial as Sarawak looks to ramp up its inoculation drive to 50,000 jabs daily.
“Our hospitals are all full, and the number of new infections is still high. We are overwhelmed, but there are more worries ahead,” he said in his social media chats today.
“This month will be crucial. We want to ramp up vaccination by 50,000 jabs per day. We need to buy time to bring down virus deaths and infections.”
Dr Sim, who is adviser to the state Disaster Management Committee, said he is saddened and deeply worried by the state’s 10 coronavirus fatalities yesterday.
“We need the people to cooperate so that we can buy time to tackle Covid-19. Please help by abiding by all the SOPs we have laid out as we try to hasten our vaccination programme.”
Sarawak’s 10 fatalities yesterday were a new high.
The victims include a 78-year-old woman and three men, aged 50, 59 and 71, at Miri Hospital. The 50-year-old, from Limbang, was in critical condition upon arrival at the hospital.
Sibu Hospital saw two deaths, involving a man, 67, and a woman, 77, while a 63-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman died at Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching.
A 66-year-old man succumbed to the virus at Sri Aman Hospital, while a 74-year-old woman died at Kapit Hospital.
With the latest fatalities, the state’s toll hits 294.
Sarawak also logged 654 new cases yesterday. – The Vibes, June 1, 2021
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