MIRI – Despite the enhanced standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place, a birthday party sparked the Jalan Lilin cluster at Taman Tunku Housing Estate in Miri.
The State Disaster Management Committee secretariat said that 22 people in the party gathering tested positive for Covid-19.
“It was a social gathering to celebrate a birthday and it caused a new cluster,” said the secretariat in a press statement.
Some 48 others who were also at the party are awaiting test results after being screened by health teams.
The secretariat however did not explain how a birthday event could have taken place when there is a statewide ban on all social gatherings and celebrations.
Sarawak recorded another two Covid-19 deaths in Sibu Hospital today involving a male aged 79 and a 71-year-old female.
Miri district saw 88 new cases, the highest in the state where 395 new cases were recorded today.
Sarawak has 83 clusters with the death toll standing at 214 today.
Apart from Miri with 88 new cases, the 395 new cases also include 45 in Bintulu, 64 in Sri Aman, 57 in Kuching, 27 in Sibu, 25 in Tebedu, 17 in Mukah, 16 in Samarahan, and under 10 new cases each in numerous other districts.
The intensive care units at all major hospitals in the state are already operating at critical capacity, and cannot cope with a serious spike in Covid-19 cases. – The Vibes, May 13, 2021