Sarawak to be placed under MCO until June 11

SIBU: Sarawak will be placed under the movement control order for two weeks from tomorrow until June 11.

State Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the MCO had to be enforced as Sarawak’s health facilities were in critical condition due to the spike in Covid-19 cases, including the detection of variants of concern.

Uggah said a total of 81 patients were being warded in intensive care units with 31 of them needing ventilators.

“We need to take drastic action before it gets more critical. The committee has decided to enforce the MCO statewide for two weeks to curb the spread of the virus, ” he told a press conference yesterday.

Uggah said the standard operating procedure for the MCO would be made available on the National Security Council’s website today.

All quiet here: The area surrounding the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building was mostly empty following the surge in Covid-19 cases in and around Kuching. — Bernama

He urged the people, especially those celebrating Gawai Dayak on June 1, to follow the SOP released last week.

“Celebrate Gawai only among family members or within the ‘bilik’ (rooms) in the longhouse.

“Do not go back to the longhouse or village. Also no ‘ngabang’ (visiting) or sitting in groups in the longhouse ‘ruai’ (verandah) and avoid cock fighting activities, ” he said.

Separately, Uggah said Sarawak recorded 772 cases with nine deaths yesterday.

Kuching had the most cases with 229, followed by Miri (82), Sibu (70) and Bintulu (67).

One new cluster – Tanjung Bundong – was detected in Kota Samarahan involving a social gathering.

“Of the 41 people screened, 22 of them tested positive, ” Uggah said.