Uggah: Home quarantine ‘ineffective’, all returning to Sarawak from Peninsular Malaysia to be placed at quarantine centres

SDMC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said they had found home quarantine to be ‘ineffective’ as they had come across cases which were difficult to monitor. — Borneo Post Online

KUCHING, Oct 10 — Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) has decided that individuals who return to the state from Peninsular Malaysia will undergo quarantine at quarantine centres from October 10 to 18 in light of the worsening Covid-19 pandemic.

Its chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said they had found home quarantine to be “ineffective” as they had come across cases which were difficult to monitor.

“We have decided that those returning from Peninsular Malaysia will be undergoing the 14-day quarantine at quarantine centres because we find home quarantine not effective for some cases.

“This is to protect Sarawak so as to break the chain of Covid-19 infections. We hope that all will cooperate with us and let’s play our role to make sure that the number of cases will not increase,” he said at a press conference here yesterday.

Uggah said the move was necessary given that the number of Covid-19 cases in Sabah, Peninsular Malaysia as well as Indonesia and the Philippines was still high.

He added that Sarawak was left with little choice but to take the precautions necessary such as tightening border control to protect Sarawakians from being infected with Covid-19.

The deputy chief minister also advised Sarawakians to avoid travelling outside the state for this month in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Based on the statistics in the last 14 days, Uggah said seven cases or 17.5 per cent among the 40 reported cases had been imported (overseas) ones while 22 cases or 55 per cent were imported cases from other parts of Malaysia.

“Of the 22 cases, 16 cases were from Sabah. Only 11 cases or 27.5 per cent of the total cases were local transmission ones. Of these local transmission cases, six cases were infected from imported cases,” he added.

Because of this, he said Sarawakians should try not to travel outside the state, if they can help it.

“The latest data has shown that most of the positive cases reported in Sarawak were imported ones. If possible, try not to travel outside Sarawak for this month, to reduce imported cases.

“Let’s take care of Sarawak together. Stay vigilant, stay safe, stay healthy, save lives,” added Uggah. — Borneo Post Online

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