MIRI – Hundreds of people in Sarawak’s Covid-19 red zones of Miri, Kuching and Sibu are standing in line after being ordered to undergo immediate screening as state authorities rush to contain the spread of the virus.
This morning, indoor stadiums in these districts saw big crowds lined up outside awaiting their turns for swab tests.
These stadiums have been converted into temporary Covid-19 screening facilities.
A check at the Miri Indoor Stadium saw men, women and children lining up early in the morning. The queue extended into the car park.
Inside the stadium are booths where health personnel in protective gear were taking swab samples.
A resident said he and his family are from a housing estate near the Taman Jelita cluster, where some eight Covid-19 cases were detected.
“My family was told by a health team who came to our house in an ambulance that we must come to the stadium to undergo checks.
“The health team said we have to obey the directive,” said the man, who does not wish to be identified.
There were security personnel stationed at the entrances of the stadium, and only those with entry instructions from the health teams are allowed in.
Elsewhere in Miri city, life went on as usual, but there were smaller crowds at coffee shops and restaurants.
Yesterday, Miri recorded 94 new cases, while Miri, Kuching and Sibu saw a combined 204 cases yesterday.
The state Disaster Management Committee has since declared the three districts as red zones, where the conditional movement control order will be imposed.
Miri has a population of 370,000, Kuching has 650,000, and Sibu has about 200,000. – The Vibes, January 12, 2021
