TWO homes for the elderly in Sibu are among six new Covid-19 clusters, the Sarawak Health Department reported today.

The remainder, all classified as community clusters, are in Samarahan, Kuching, Kapit and Bintulu.

The Geronggang cluster in Sibu, named after the road where the home is located, has so far claimed one life from among 41 people – residents of the home and close contacts – who have tested positive as at noon today.

The victim is a 73-year-old resident of the home.

The health department said the index case of the cluster was a 77-year-old male resident who tested positive on February 10 after showing symptoms.

Another elderly care home affected is the centre of the Mas Merah cluster.

The home is at Jalan Teng Chin Hua in Sungai Merah, on the outskirts of Sibu, and has to date detected 10 cases, including the index case, from among its 48 residents and people who have come in close contact with the home.

Thirty-eight others are still waiting for the result of their swab tests.

The index case, a female worker at the home, was ordered to undergo a test last Saturday after she was found to have come into contact with an infected person.

When her positive result came through, active case detection was immediately ordered for everyone at the home or linked to it.

Other new clusters today are the Univista cluster in Samarahan, where the source of infection is a 33-year-old satay seller operating out of his home. There are currently 45 cases from the 184 people tested.

The cluster covers three areas – Kg Muara Tuang, Taman Samarax and the epicentre Taman Univista. 

Meanwhile, the health department as of noon today had screened 50 villagers in the Kg Sg Maong cluster in Kuching, where 18 have tested positive, including the index case.

The index case has been identified as a 38-year-old security guard at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH). 

The remaining two clusters are Gelong in Kapit and Kidurong Dua in Bintulu.

The six new clusters bring the state’s active clusters to 21.

Sarawak also reported one more Covid-19 death today, its 62nd – that of an 83-year-old woman from Nanga Banjor in the district of Song who died yesterday. 

She died at the Sibu hospital where she was warded on February 5 after complaining of breathing difficulties. She had tested positive on January 25. – February 16, 2021.