MIRI – A 29-year-old Indonesian woman who was smuggled into the state from Kalimantan early this month, is the index case of the Covid-19 Delta variant in Sibu district, central Sarawak.
State Assistant Health Minister Dr Annuar Rapaee, said that she was smuggled into the state with a 22-year-old Indonesian man.
The Nangka assemblyman told a Facebook Live Chat today that two local Sarawakians snuck them in across the Kalimantan-Sarawak border at Pontianak on July 5 and then took them to Sibu town for work.
“They came on July 5 and the woman tested positive with Covid-19 on July 7. Tests by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak proved she has the Delta variant. The others are still negative.
“Police are investigating this case,” said Dr Annuar, who is also the Sibu Disaster Management Committee coordinator.
The woman is currently being isolated and treated in Sibu Hospital.
Replying to queries, he said the three others are under quarantine and all of them will be arrested once it is safe for the police to do so, he said.
He said that the Indonesian citizens will be arrested for irregular migration, while the two Malaysian citizens will be probed for human trafficking.
“We were doing well in reducing the Covid-19 infections for the past week or so but now we are looking at a more serious threat from the Delta variant,” lamented the state lawmaker as the strain continues to spread in Sarawak.
Last week, Sibu authorities refuted allegations that the Delta Covid-19 variant was detected in an Indonesian man in the district.
But more recently it was detected in Sarawak’s second largest urban centre – Miri.
Two days ago, 76 cases of the variant were found in the state with Kuching holding the lead at 52 cases; Serian at 11; Sri Aman with five; Samarahan at three; while Sibu, Miri and Betong all have one case each.
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UMS) Head of Public Health Research Unit Dr David Pereira said that genomics studies have found this variant spreading out from Kuching to other districts after detecting around 17 cases in the city last month.
“They were found in Sentosa Hospital, Satok police station lock-up and multiple other places,” he had said in a press statement.
State Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian had also warned the public not to take the Covid-19 situation in Sarawak lightly as the Delta variant is emerging as a real threat here.
Aside from the Delta variant, Sarawak has also detected the Eta, Alpha, Beta and Theta types. – The Vibes, July 23, 2021
