SIBU, Jan 20 — The Sarawak Health Department with assistance from several other government agencies is intensifying the search for an individual here who had tested positive for Covid-19 but could not be contacted.
Sarawak Assistant Minister of Local Government and Housing Dr Annuar Rapaee today said the individual had undergone a swab test, but he could not be reached to be informed of the test result which confirmed that he had the virus.
“They (the authorities) are going after him (the uncontactable Covid-19 positive individual)… (we are on a) manhunt on this person,” he told a press conference after attending a food assistance handover ceremony for people affected by the movement control order (MCO) here.
He was commenting on a news portal report which quoted State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian as saying that as many as 23 people who had tested positive for Covid-19 in Sibu could not be contacted.
Although it is the health authority’s duty to maintain patient confidentiality, Dr Sim did not rule out the possibility of publishing the names of the individuals involved to protect public health.
Dr Annuar said that it was only one individual and not 23 as alleged by Dr Sim who could not be reached as the whereabouts of the other 22 individuals had already being determined, whereby 10 of them were already warded at the Sibu Hospital since Sunday.
“(Another) four (individuals) were in lockdown areas and had come out to be brought to the hospital, while eight of them were able to be contacted yesterday and are on the way to the hospital,” he said.
He advised residents in the division to comply strictly to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) enforced under the movement control order (MCO) currently applied there. — Bernama
