SARAWAK has banned restaurant dining in eight of its southern districts for one week starting Sunday as the state grapples with an explosion of new Covid-19 cases.

The state reported 2,548 cases today, a new record high, though the state disaster management committee said 2,547 or 99.96% of the cases were category 1 (no symptoms) or 2 (mild symptoms).

Only one of the new cases was in category 5, where the patient has multiple serious symptoms and requires a ventilator to aid breathing.

In a “tightened” standard operating procedure (SOP), business hours in Kuching, Bau, Lundu, Samarahan, Asajaya, Simunjan, Serian and Tebedu have also been shortened from the present 6am-10pm, to 5am-8pm.

Authorities have also reintroduced a 10pm curfew in these districts.

There were 1,601 cases in Kuching today, where the Delta variant is now the prevalent variant, along with Serian (240), Bau (131), Samarahan (116), Lundu (94), Simunjan (60), and Tebedu (41).

No deaths were reported in Sarawak today though there was one new cluster, at Long Urun in Belaga.

This longhouse cluster has infected 79 residents. – August 20, 2021.