TWO more Sarawak cabinet members have been instructed by the state Health Department to undergo home quarantine.

Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah Embas and state Housing and Local Government Minister Dr Sim Kui Hian received the order for “supervision and observation for contact with a Covid-19-infected person” today.

Dr Sim, in a Facebook post, said despite him taking precautions, he has to undergo a 14-day quarantine at home.

He and Uggah came into contact with a person who attended a state Disaster Management Committee sub-committee meeting on March 27. That individual, who is the Resident of the Samarahan, has tested positive for the coronavirus.

“I am well, no cough, no shortness of breath, no fever, (I) am not Covid-19-positive,” said Dr Sim.

“Occupational hazard.”

He said the quarantine duration corresponds with the incubation period of the virus, which has killed nine people in the state, adding that the isolation order is standard operating procedure for those who have had close contact with Covid-19 patients.

“(It’s a) precautionary measure. (It) means all of us (who were in that) meeting will need to be in self-isolation at home.

“Not just in case we become infected, but more importantly, not to infect others if you happen to be infected, even though you are well and not showing symptoms.”

Uggah’s press secretary, Edward Stephen, confirmed that the deputy chief minister and himself received the same Health Department order.

He said Uggah, who chaired the March 27 meet, now has to conduct daily meetings via videoconference.

It was reported today that Sarawak Assistant Transport Minister Jerip Susil is the first member of the state administration to test positive for Covid-19. However, there has yet to be official confirmation.

Yesterday, Uggah’s fellow deputy chief minister, Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, and state Welfare, Community Well-being, Women, Family and Childhood Minister Fatimah Abdullah started their home quarantine. Both were present at the meeting last month. – April 3, 2020.