KUCHING: Seven cases involving oil and gas workers were among 512 new Covid-19 cases reported in Sarawak on Tuesday (May 18), says the state disaster management committee.
The seven oil and gas workers were detected while undergoing quarantine at an offshore transit centre in Miri before signing on for duty.
“The cases are still being investigated and all close contacts will be traced for screening and quarantine,” the committee said in a statement, adding that all seven cases were asymptomatic.
Miri, Bintulu, Sibu, Kapit and Kuching accounted for 353 or 68.95% of the total new cases, while 24 other districts reported between one and 35 cases each.
The state’s cumulative tally of confirmed cases now stands at 39,328.
The committee also said there were five more fatalities, taking the death toll to 230.
The latest deaths were three women and two men aged from 51 to 73.. All had comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma and gout.
In addition, two new community clusters were identified in Betong.
The Hulu Spaoh cluster at a village has 20 confirmed cases out of 48 individuals screened to date, while the Jelang cluster involving a longhouse has 22 cases out of 141 individuals screened.
The affected village and longhouse will be placed under the enhanced movement control order from May 19 to June 1.
They are among 11 localities in the state, which will come under the EMCO until the end of May and early June.
