KUCHING: A total of 61,368 individuals in Sarawak have undergone the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rT-PCR) tests for Covid-19 as of July 19, said the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC).

SDMC added that this involved as many as 77,992 rT-PCR laboratory tests.

Of these, SDMC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said a total 608 individuals were found positive for the rT-PCR test, with a rate of 0.99 per cent.

“In Kuching alone, a total of 28,309 individuals have been screened, and 373 individuals or 1.32 per cent of them were found positive through the rT-PCR test,” he said at the daily update press conference here today.

Uggah announced that Sarawak had opened up its border to a total of 32 students, who are studying or living in Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, but had settled down in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

“They have been sent to the quarantine centre for the mandatory quarantine of 14 days, and will be taken samples for Covid-19 screening on Day 2 and Day 10.

“These are Malaysians but have settled down in Kalimantan, Indonesia with their families during the school holidays,” he explained.

A total of 19 of the 32 students are studying at SMK Lubok Antu, nine at SMK Engkilili, and one each at SK Lubok Antu, SK Batang Ai and SK Panjat Sejingkat while the remaining one is a student of UiTM Shah Alam, Selangor.

Uggah said 11 of these 32 students were found to have close contact with Case 601, who is presently undergoing the 14-day quarantine.

“All the 11 individuals have been screened for Covid-19 and their first test results came back negative,” he added.

Source: The Borneo Post Online