SIBU, Feb 18 — Residents of flats and houses in Town Villa, Sibu Jaya, about 30km from the city centre, who are currently placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO), are required to undergo three swab tests in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 infection in the area.
Sarawak Assistant Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research, Dr Annuar Rapaee said the additional swab test was required because the Sibu Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) was not satisfied with the test results. Previously, only two swab tests have been required.
“The swab test continues today and tomorrow, and the results will be known two days after testing. We want 100 per cent of the residents in the EMCO area to undergo swab testing, while those in Town Villa until this Friday,” he said.
Dr Annuar, via live streaming on his Facebook account, said that out of 77 positive COVID-19 cases reported in Sibu Jaya today, 74 of them were detected in the Sibu Jaya flats, currently placed under the EMCO.
The Town Villa houses and flats in Sibu Jaya are currently placed under the EMCO from Feb 12 until Feb 25, due to the sharp increase in new COVID-19 cases in the area since the end of January.
Dr Annuar, who is also the coordinator of SDMC, said that he also received complaints saying that the wages of some workers living in the EMCO area or undergoing treatment at quarantine centres were not paid by their employers.
“We will compile the names of the workers involved and will send a letter informing the employers about the workers living in the EMCO area as well as those placed in the quarantine centre,” he said.
