In a statement, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii said the 12.5% positive rate was more than double the 5% rate recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), adding that this showed the health ministry was under-testing.

Yesterday, the health ministry reported 11,985 Covid-19 cases from 95,772 tests.

“If we do not ramp up our testing and tracing significantly, we will not know how many carriers are out there who can spread the virus. And the longer we take to isolate them, the higher the amount of people they can spread it to.

“Mass testing enables people with Covid-19 to be diagnosed earlier, isolated, and treated early to prevent seriously ill cases and deaths.

“The slower we test and diagnose them, the higher the likelihood they will be brought in late with more severe symptoms leading to overcapacity at hospitals and ICUs, leading to a spike in Covid-19 deaths,” he said, citing the record-high 199 Covid-19 deaths yesterday.

He said the 199 deaths, of whom 33 were brought in dead, showed that the virus was widespread in the community with a significant percentage of patients dying at home before getting any medical care at the hospital.

Yii, who heads the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on health, added that a national testing strategy should be incorporated into the national recovery plan, suggesting frequent and continuous testing for workers or people attending social events.

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