KUCHING: Sarawak has decided to allow dine-ins starting Friday (July 16) after revising the standard operating procedures for eateries under Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan.

       The state disaster management committee said only eatery operators and workers who have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine are allowed to operate dine-in services.

       "The detailed SOP can be downloaded from the state Local Government and Housing Ministry's website at mlgh.sarawak.gov.my," it said in a statement on Thursday (July 15).

       The committee previously announced on Tuesday (July 13) that dine-ins were put on hold, subject to a review of the SOP after the Delta Covid-19 variant was detected in the state.

       Sarawak entered Phase Two of the NRP on Wednesday (July 14).

       The committee also said businesses allowed to reopen during Phase Two would be closed immediately for 14 days if positive cases were detected at their premises.

       "The costs of screening and sanitisation will be borne by the operator or owner of the premises," it said, adding that compound notices would also be issued to operators and workers who fail to comply with the SOP.

       Meanwhile, Sarawak reported 363 new Covid-19 cases and four fatalities on Thursday to take the cumulative tally to 70,228, with a death toll of 443.

       Among the latest fatalities were a 50-year-old man with no comorbidities who was brought in dead to Kapit Hospital and a 35-year-old man with hypertension, obesity and gout who died at Sibu Hospital.

       The others were a 78-year-old man who died at Sibu Hospital and a 71-year-old woman who died at the Sarawak General Hospital here. Both had various comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes, cancer and stroke.