SARAWAK can now test coronavirus suspects in the state without having to send their samples to the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) in Kuala Lumpur.

Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah Embas said rapid blood test kits have been delivered to the state, enabling testing to be done at the Sarawak general hospital in Kuching, with results available in 12 hours.

Uggah, who also chairs the state disaster management committee, said sending samples to IMR took between 24 to 48 hours for the results.

Sarawak to date is still free of the coronavirus, which has so far killed 426 people as of today, and infected more than 20,000 in 27 countries. 

In Sarawak, 24 cases have been cleared out of 32 people suspected of being infected. The remaining eight are still waiting for test results.

Although local transmission is low, Uggah said the committee is still vigilant against transmission from people coming into the state, particularly people who have been to China.

Sarawak so far has refused 16 people – 13 Chinese nationals, 2 Hong Kongers and one Indonesian – from entering the state.

They were all on social visit passes.

Sarawak has imposed an entry ban on all Chinese nationals and foreigners who have been in China in the last 14 days.

However, exceptions are given to students, those with employment passes or long social visit passes.

They will have to undergo a 14-day self-quarantine first.

Uggah said Sarawak is also ready for the possibility of having to quarantine large numbers of people by using the public health college and the nurses training school at Kota Sentosa. – February 4, 2020.