20 Indonesian oil palm workers under quarantine after showing early Covid-19 symptoms

SIBU: Twenty Indonesian workers of Salcra oil palm plantation in Sri Aman have been quarantined for suspected Covid-19 after showing early symptoms of the disease.

All of them had experienced cough, fever, shortness of breath and sore throat for several days.

Sri Aman OCPD Deputy Supt Bingkok John said all of them have been placed at the Sri Aman Skill Development Centre, which is being used as a quarantine centre for the district.

He said the Sri Aman Disaster Management Committee received the information of the suspected cases at about 5.30pm on March 24.

"Initial investigation revealed that one of them, a new worker from Makasar, Indonesia who had fever and cough, had infected the others," he said on Thursday (March 26).

The man, he said had entered the state on March 12 through Tebedu check point and reported for work at the plantation the next day.

"On March 18, the suspect complained of fever and cough. As he was staying with the other 19 Indonesians, it was believed that they were all infected by him," he added.

He said the 20 Indonesians arrived in a bus along with four health department officers at the quarantine centre at 10am on March 25.

Supt Bingkok said the Sri Aman Division Health Department had also briefed the 60 workers of the plantation to observe the movement control order by staying indoors.