MIRI – New Gawai Dayak-related Covid-19 outbreaks have emerged, as Sarawak recorded 651 new coronavirus cases and two deaths.
The state Disaster Management Committee said the two fatalities bring the death toll to 318 in the state.
One of the deaths involves a 62-year-old woman, who collapsed at a Miri Health Clinic and pronounced dead there.
“Her body was later brought to Miri Hospital, and tests confirmed her cause of death as being due to Covid-19,” said the committee.
The other death involves a 65-year-old woman in Miri Hospital.
Of the 651 infections today, Kuching claims 146, followed by Sibu (73), Sebauh (57), Miri (53), Meradong (36), Subis (35), Bintulu (30), Dalat (24), Kapit (22), Pakan (21) and Bau (20), while other districts recorded fewer than 20 cases each.
The committee said four new Covid-19 outbreaks were also found in four new clusters.
The Skim B cluster in Meradong involves longhouse folk who were preparing animal sacrifices for the Gawai Dayak celebration. A total of 28 individuals have been found positive, so far.
The Ijus Pengelayan cluster in Miri recorded 55 Covid-19 cases, after shipping workers return to the Baram longhouse for Gawai Antu.
The new Banting cluster in Sri Aman involves residents of five longhouses who were performing prayer rituals. A total of 59 individuals have been found positive, so far.
Another new one is the Kg Yoh cluster in Sebauh, which involves a construction site and has 58 cases.
The committee said active contact tracing and screening are being carried out by health teams, adding that there are 80 clusters in the state, so far. – The Vibes, June 5, 2021
