KUCHING, Fri — A total of 12 cases from the Theta variant in Sarawak has made the state tighten its Standard Operating Procedues (SOP) for anyone entering the state from Labuan and the Peninsular states.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said today this measure was to particularly protect Sarawakians from the Delta variant of the Covid-19.
“This deadly and very contagious variant has been detected in these places lately,” he said in statement today.
He told reporters this after giving away baskets of fruits to frontliners and enforcement teams at the Indoor Stadium Vaccination Centre here.
The function was jointly organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries( MAFI) Malaysia, Ministry of Agriculture Modernisation, Native Land and Regional Development( MANRED), the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) and the state Agriculture Department.
Uggah added previously, Sarawakians and others entering Sarawak from the Peninsular states did not have to do the swab test three days before coming in but now this was mandatory.
“Anyone who wants to come to Sarawak now has to do the swab test three days before their departure.”
“For those from Labuan, they need to apply from the SDMC before coming in.”
“Those who have stayed in Labuan for a period of 21 days, we do not allow them to come in,”
Uggah said Sarawak too had detected 12 cases of the theta variant as reported on June 30.
” But we pray that the Delta variant will not come to the state.
“It is more deadly and contagious variant which we fear very much.” he said.
On the fruits gift, he said it was to thank all the frontliners and teams involved.
“They all have worked very hard and done very well.
“I am very happy with their performance.
“The Indoor Stadium Vaccination Centre is packed almost daily.
” Initially, we had some problems but now the place is very well organised and the vaccination process is very smooth,”he said.
Until June 30, the centre had vaccinated 63,538 individuals.
It is open daily fron 7am to 10pm and has the capacity to vaccinate 4,000 each day.
Meanwhile Uggah also expressed his gratitude to the Kuching City South Hall and some non governmental organisations for their donations of drinking water and others to the frontliners as well
The state Agriculture Department director Dr Alvin Chai , FAMA Sarawak Director Abdul Jaafar Lian and Kuching City South mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng were among those joining Uggah at the function.
