Dayaks in Sarawak must be a blessed lot - at least, those returning home to celebrate their annual Gawai Dayak festival must be feeling that way.

None of them working abroad who returned to the state to celebrate the Gawai festival has been detected with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) symptoms.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr George Chan (photo) said despite Singapore being declared free of Sars by the World Health Organisation (WHO), strict measures were still being implemented at all major entry points in Sarawak.

Take precaution

"So far no o­ne has been detected with the virus but we ask them to take the necessary precautions,"he told reporters after attending the Gawai Open house at the Civic Centre here today.

Chan was also quoted by Bernama as saying that apart from distributing face masks, they had also been advised to seek treatment as soon as possible if they suffered from Sars-related symptoms.

"They must go straight to the nearby hospital or polyclinic to get the treatment," he added.

Early this month, Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu asked Dayaks working in Sars-affected countries to make sacrifices by not returning home for the celebration in order to protect their loved o­nes in Sarawak from Sars.