KUCHING: Sarawak is preparing a quarantine centre for the novel coronavirus as part of ongoing measures to prevent its spread in the state.
The Public Health College at Kota Sentosa here will be used should the need arise, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.
“If we have to quarantine a big group of people, then this is the facility that is now being prepared,” he said at a press conference after chairing a state disaster management committee meeting here yesterday. The facility can accommodate 260 people.
“We hope we don’t need it but in case we do, we must be prepared for that.”
Uggah said the committee was also coming up with a mechanism to conduct random checks on those undergoing self-quarantine at home.
He said Sarawakians and foreigners with special permits such as workers, who had returned from China, had been advised to quarantine themselves at home for 14 days.
“We will find ways and means to monitor them,” he added.
Uggah also said that to date, Sarawak had not recorded any positive case of the coronavirus.
He said there were 32 suspected cases as of Monday, of which 24 had tested negative and eight with results pending.
He added that testing for the coronavirus was now being done at Sarawak General Hospital after the state government purchased blood test kits.
“In this way we will be able to get the results faster. We are buying more blood test kits which we hope to supply to Sibu and Miri.”
In addition, Uggah said, the state has purchased thermal guns to monitor the temperature of those entering Sarawak through land entry points.
He reiterated that foreigners who had visited China in the last 14 days would not be allowed to enter the state, except for those with employment passes, student passes or long social passes.
He said 16 people had been refused entry since the policy was introduced on Feb 1.
They comprised 13 Chinese nationals, one Indonesian and two from Hong Kong.
The Public Health College at Kota Sentosa here will be used should the need arise, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.
“If we have to quarantine a big group of people, then this is the facility that is now being prepared,” he said at a press conference after chairing a state disaster management committee meeting here yesterday. The facility can accommodate 260 people.
“We hope we don’t need it but in case we do, we must be prepared for that.”
Uggah said the committee was also coming up with a mechanism to conduct random checks on those undergoing self-quarantine at home.
He said Sarawakians and foreigners with special permits such as workers, who had returned from China, had been advised to quarantine themselves at home for 14 days.
“We will find ways and means to monitor them,” he added.
Uggah also said that to date, Sarawak had not recorded any positive case of the coronavirus.
He said there were 32 suspected cases as of Monday, of which 24 had tested negative and eight with results pending.
He added that testing for the coronavirus was now being done at Sarawak General Hospital after the state government purchased blood test kits.
“In this way we will be able to get the results faster. We are buying more blood test kits which we hope to supply to Sibu and Miri.”
In addition, Uggah said, the state has purchased thermal guns to monitor the temperature of those entering Sarawak through land entry points.
He reiterated that foreigners who had visited China in the last 14 days would not be allowed to enter the state, except for those with employment passes, student passes or long social passes.
He said 16 people had been refused entry since the policy was introduced on Feb 1.
They comprised 13 Chinese nationals, one Indonesian and two from Hong Kong.
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