KUCHING: Sarawak has recorded nine deaths due to Covid-19 so far this year, resulting in a mortality rate of 0.31 per 100,000 population, says Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He said this was lower than the mortality rate of 5.41 per 100,000 population last year, when there were 167 deaths from Covid-19 in the state.
In total, Sarawak had reported 326,012 Covid-19 cases and 1,792 deaths since the first reported case on March 13, 2020.
"The disease is generally showing a declining trend and the state's economy and activities have returned to normal.
"This year 2,411 cases were reported from Epid Week 1 until Epid Week 19 which ended on May 13, as compared to 53,623 cases reported during the same period last year," Dr Sim told the state assembly in his winding-up speech on Tuesday (May 23).
However, he said the disease had shown an increasing trend in the last four weeks with the emergence of a new subvariant known as Arcturus.
To date, six Arcturus cases had been detected in Sarawak.
Dr Sim said high awareness levels on the importance of public health measures and high vaccination rates helped control the spread of Covid-19 in Sarawak.
As of May 13, he said 2,433,859 people or about 86.2% of the state's population had been fully vaccinated with two doses.
"This comprises 1,908,191 people aged 18 and above, 265,318 people aged between 12 and 17 and 260,350 people aged from five to 11," he said.
Dr Sim also said Sarawak had administered the first booster dose to 1,593,751 individuals, or 65.5% of those who had completed their primary doses of vaccination.
He said 100,952 of eligible individuals had also received the second booster dose.
"It is vital that the public continues to practise personal hygiene, wear masks in crowded areas and take the booster dose as the virus may still continue to mutate and spread in the community.
"In addition, Sarawakians are encouraged to continue practising TRIIS, which is test, report, isolate, inform and seek, in cases of experiencing symptoms or infection of Covid-19," Dr Sim said.
He also urged the public to visit medical facilities as early as possible for assessment of their suitability for the oral antiviral drug Paxlovid should they test positive for Covid-19.
"The drug is most effective if taken within three days of testing positive.
"We must remain vigilant and continue our efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
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