MIRI – Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg will be meeting the state’s top police brass to decide on tighter movement restrictions following a record 960 infections today.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas said Johari will make a joint decision with top cops on the measures this Monday.
“Today, we see another record (high) in infections. We are going to impose tighter movement restrictions.
“The CM will meet the state police commissioner on Monday,” he told a press conference today.
Uggah said Covid-19 is spreading rapidly in the state, from district to district and zone to zone.
“We appeal to all, including those in associations, schools and business bodies, to obey all SOPs (standard operating procedures).”
He added that starting today, in the state, only food outlets and sundry shops can operate until midnight. Other businesses can operate up to 10pm.
Sarawak’s Covid-19 death toll stands at 135, with a total of 19,500 infections.
Of the 960 cases today, Kuching district recorded 370 cases, followed by Bintulu (175), Mukah (103), Sibu (100), Miri (83), Kapit (24), Belaga (20), and Mabong (13), with the other districts logging fewer than 10 cases each.
In Kuching, 295 of today’s cases were detected in police training centres.
Projections made by health authorities show that Sarawak could see triple-digit increases in Covid-19 infections every day for the next two to four weeks.
State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian had yesterday warned that out of every existing 100 cases now, another 118 people will be infected, based on the current rate of infection spread in the state: R-naught 1.18.
“Due to this high rate of infection, we in Sarawak will see a triple-digit surge in new Covid-19 infections daily for the next two to four weeks at least.”
Sarawak is one of the three worst-hit states by the pandemic in the country, with about 21,950 cases to date. – The Vibes, April 16, 2021
