FOUR new clusters in the rural districts of Meradong, Kanowit, Tatau and Pakan, plus the 145 infections in Kuching made up the bulk of the Covid-19 new cases in Sarawak today.

The state disaster management committee said of the 577 new cases reported, 300 were from these five districts.

In the outbreak at a longhouse at Sg Kotak in Meradong, 34 residents so far have tested positive – from 101 screened – which authorities blamed on failing to observe correct protocol for a funeral.

The committee said failure to comply with standard operating procedures (SOP) was the root cause of the outbreaks in the longhouses at the resettlement of Nanga Tada in Kanowit, Jalan Kuala Tatau in Bintulu and Tanjong Lelengau in Pakan.

The outbreak at Nanga Tada stemmed from a miring ceremony held on Gawai eve on May 31.

So far 107 people from three longhouses in the resettlement area have tested positive, the committee said.

In the Jalan Kuala Tatau cluster, 22 residents of a longhouse at Sungai Semanok, out of 29 screened, tested positive.

The longhouses have since been subject to the enhanced movement control order.

There were also three deaths reported today, raising the state’s Covid-19 death toll to 392.

The victims were a 52-year-old Selangau resident who died at Sibu Hospital, and a 74-year-old woman and an 80-year-old man who both died at Sarikei Hospital.

All had comorbidities. – June 23, 2021.