MIRI – Sarawak saw a new daily-high record of seven deaths today caused by the Covid-19 virus.
All these latest fatalities were in the central Sarawak region, covering the districts of Kapit, Sarikei, and Sibu, said the state Disaster Management Committee (DMC) secretariat said in a statement this evening.
Among the deaths was that of a man aged 78, who passed away by the time he was brought to Kapit Hospital. “He was found unconscious in his house and was rushed to hospital, but was pronounced dead,” said the secretariat.
The other six fatalities were that of three men (aged 66, 79, and 89) and a 90-year-old woman in Sarikei Hospital, as well as of a 43-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman in Sibu Hospital.
“The total Covid-19 death toll in Sarawak today reached 237,” the secretariat said, adding that there were 323 new infections statewide.
Kuching district recorded 59 new cases, followed by Miri (45), Sibu (43), Bintulu (43), Selangau (28), Samarahan (25), Kapit (16), Sarikei (13), Serian (11), and several other districts (below 10 new infections each).
The state also saw the new Jalan Endap cluster in Samarahan district, which involves 29 workers in an oil-palm factory. Health teams were screening all the workers in that estate. These bring the statewide total to 84 clusters.
The DMC once again urged everyone in Sarawak to help cut down infections and fatalities by complying with all standard operating procedures in place. – The Vibes, May 19, 2021