KUCHING: Sarawak reported 432 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday (April 27), with 70% detected in five central and northern districts, says the state disaster management committee.
The committee said the five districts with the most cases were Bintulu with 81, Bukit Mabong (64), Miri (60), Sibu (53) and Kanowit (46).
Other districts which reported cases were Selangau and Mukah with 23 each, Kuching (21), Matu (10), Julau (eight), Marudi and Sebauh (six each), Lundu (four), Sri Aman, Sarikei, Subis and Pakan (three each), Serian, Lubok Antu, Bau, Meradong and Betong (two each) and Belaga, Tatau, Beluru, Saratok and Telang Usan (one each), taking the state's tally to 28,961 cases.
The committee said 246 cases were close contacts of Covid-19 patients and 128 were detected through screening of active clusters in the state.
"There was one imported case involving an individual returning from Yemen, and another case involving an individual returning from another state in Malaysia," it said in a statement on Tuesday (April 27).
The committee also said three more deaths were reported, bringing the state's death toll to 165 persons.
The latest fatalities were a man and two women aged 54,47 and 44 who died at Bintulu Hospital and Sarikei Hospital on April 24 and 25.
The man had no comorbidities, while the women had hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia.
Recoveries outpaced new cases with 610 individuals discharged on Tuesday.
There are currently 5,685 active cases in the state.
The committee also said two new clusters involving longhouses were detected in Kanowit.
It said the Sungai Ngungun cluster has 26 confirmed cases to date, including the index case, a 67-year-old man who tested positive on April 11 while undergoing pre-treatment screening at Sibu Hospital.
"The infection spread in the longhouse through close interaction among the villagers," the committee said.
The Sungai Tuah cluster stemmed from a funeral at a longhouse on April 12, followed by nightly prayers from April 12 to 14, which was attended by relatives from Miri, Julau and Sibu.
Contact tracing and targeted screening yielded 31 confirmed cases out of 83 individuals screened to date.
Meanwhile, the committee announced that the enhanced movement control order will be imposed at seven longhouses and a school for a two-week period starting between April 26 and 28.
The EMCO will take effect from April 26 to May 9 at Rumah Likik in Pakan; Rumah Empeni Ak Budom in Sungai Meradong, Sarikei; Rumah Nyuka Lubuk Lemba in Sarikei; Rumah Selat Ak Lai in Meradong and Rumah Takang Ak Uatau in Meradong.
Rumah Giman in Bintangor, Sarikei, and Rumah Kiam Ak Ujai in Marudi will be placed under the enhanced MCO from April 27 to May 10 and SMK Ulu Balingian in Sibu from April 28 to May 11.
The enhanced MCO at Rumah Bajak longhouse in Julau will be extended from April 28 to May 4.
At Politeknik Mukah, the enhanced MCO will end on April 28, as no new cases were detected during a second round of screening.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
