THE 137 new Covid-19 cases detected in the KM20 workplace cluster in Sarawak’s Betong district makes it the most active of the state’s 147 active clusters, the state disaster management committee said today.

The new cases in the cluster also make up the bulk of the 200 cases detected in Betong in the last 24 hours.

Two other active clusters in the district – Bungey II and Nanga Tapih – both reported one new case each.

The KM20 cluster, first reported on August 27 when 23 workers of a construction firm who live in the workers’ quarters at kilometre 20 of the Pan Borneo highway on the Betong – Sarikei stretch, were infected.

After two weeks, the number of infections had risen to 531, with more workers, their family members and the people they had had close contact with were tested.

The disaster committee statistics showed that 835 people were ordered to undergo the Covid-19 test and the number of infections could rise, as 227 are still awaiting the results of their test.

This would take time as all samples taken in Betong are sent by road to Kuching for tests.

Sarawak reported another high of 3,118 new cases, two new clusters and nine deaths today.

The new clusters are both community clusters involving two longhouses in Bintulu.

The Sg Segan cluster at Jalan Ulu Sebauh so far has 25 residents tested positive for the infection while the Jalan Bintulu-Miri Dua cluster at Mile 17 of the Bintulu – Miri stretch of the Pan Borneo highway has 33 infections.

Both longhouses have been ordered to lock down.

Of the nine deaths reported, four are in Kuching with one each in Lubok Antu, Miri, Simunjan, Sibu and Saratok.

Their ages are between 65 and 87.

Two of the deaths were dead on arrival: a 75-year-old man who was pronounced dead when he was brought to the Simunjan hospital on Tuesday, and an 82-year-old Kuching woman who was brought to the Sarawak general hospital, also on Tuesday. – September 9, 2021.