KUCHING: The tighter standard operating procedures (SOP) for eight districts in Sarawak's southern zone, including no dine-ins, have been extended for another week as Covid-19 cases remain high.

       The state disaster management committee said the SOP, initially imposed from Aug 22 to 29, will continue to be in force until Sept 5.

       Besides prohibiting dine-in, the stricter measures include shorter business hours of 5am to 8pm, while individuals are not allowed to be out in public places after 10pm without a reasonable excuse.

       "In addition, inter-district travel from the southern zone to other districts requires a police permit as well as a negative result from a PCR test or antigen rapid test kit (RTK) approved by the Health Ministry.

       "RTK screening can be done by appointment at health clinics in the southern zone starting Aug 30," the committee said in a statement on Friday (Aug 27).

       The southern zone comprises Kuching, Bau, Lundu, Samarahan, Asajaya, Simunjan, Serian and Tebedu districts.

       Sarawak registered 2,224 new Covid-19 cases and three deaths on Friday, taking the state's overall tally to 107,296 with a death toll of 513.

       Kuching has the most cases with 906, followed by Samarahan (210), Serian (158) and Sibu (125), while 31 more districts reported between one and 96 cases each.

       The committee said the latest fatalities included a 17-year-old boy with congenital illness, chronic lung disease and epilepsy who died at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) here.

       The other deaths were two men, aged 66 and 78, who died at Kapit Hospital and SGH.