SIBU, Jan 30 — The Sarawak government will provide 10 additional ventilators to Sibu Hospital as soon as possible to meet the treatment needs for Covid-19 patients in the hospital.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said currently, there were only three ventilators available and additional machines were highly needed due to the increasing number of positive cases in the division recently.

Besides that, the state government would add more quarantine centres in the division, whereby the Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee (JPBBS) was in the midst of identifying facilities available for the purpose.

"The move is taken to improve our efforts in curbing the spread of Covid-19, including in the aspects of providing facilities, quarantine centres and logistics,” he said in a news conference after attending JPBBS briefing on Covid-19 situation in Sibu division here, today.

He said the department has been directed to find the best way to improve logistics to transport Covid-19 patients from longhouses, remote and interior areas to quarantine centres.

"The logistics expenses are borne by the state government. We don’t want Covid-19 patients to remain in longhouses because the virus can spread to other residents,” he said.

Abang Johari also wanted the enforcement for standard operating procedures (SOPs) compliance to be improved, adding that assistance from the military and Rela would be sought if necessary.

He added that community heads and local residents could play the role to remind the people on the danger of Covid-19 and advise them to always adhere to the SOPs. — Bernama