KUCHING, April 30 — Sarawak recorded another death and five more positive cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infections today, state Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said in his daily media conference.

He said the death toll was now 17 since the first death was recorded on March 17.

"The case, a 72-year old man from Kampung Tabuan Lot in Kuching district, initially showed signs of fever and cough on April 13 and on April 16, he presented himself at the Sarawak Heart Centre in Kota Samarahan district.

"While at the heart centre, he was confirmed to be having fever and cough which was categorised as severe acute respiratory infection (SARI),” Uggah said.

He said samples were taken from the patient for testing on April 16 and the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction result from the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) on April 18 showed that he was positive with Covid-19.

Uggah, who is also the deputy chief minister, said the patient died at 12.55pm today.

"The case has no history of being close contact with a positive case from any cluster,” he added.

On the five positive cases recorded today, he said all were from Kuching district and were being treated at SGH.

He said one was from a Kuching Church conference cluster and another from PUI Italy family cluster.

A third was a sporadic case while two others are from an unknown cluster.

He said Sarawak’s total positive cases was now 507 since the first case was detected on March 13, with 222 of them having been discharged after recovering from treatment at the government hospitals.

He added 263 are still being treated, including five in the intensive care unit and two on ventilators.

Uggah also said 53 cases of persons-under-investigation (PUI) are recorded as at 12 noon today while 40 other cases are awaiting results of their laboratory tests for the coronavirus infection.