Malay Mail: MOH says Covid-19 at critical stage in Klang Valley, seven hospitals at over 70pc capacity

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KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 — The Ministry of Health said today the situation for hospitals in the Klang Valley is reaching a critical stage, as five hospitals in the Klang Valley have passed their 70 per cent capacity for Covid-19 patients.

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre has recorded the increase in patients for Hospital Sungai Buloh, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Hospital Ampang, Hospital Serdang dan Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Klang.

“Similarly, the Hospital Selayang and Universiti Malaya Medical Centre have reported that their usage of critical/Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds for Covid-19 patients has surpassed 50 per cent,” he said in a statement.

Dr Noor Hisham said the primary cause of this surge is due to the increase of critical cases by 62 per cent, compared to the previous two weeks.

“As of today, 108 ventilator units are needed for Covid-19 patients in Klang Valley alone.

“Overall 277 ICU critical beds have been set aside for Covid-19 and non-Covid 19 patients in states encompassing the Klang Valley. Of this number, 152 have been specially set aside to treat Covid-19 parents, with its usage capacity now reaching 88 per cent,” he said.

From the 12th to the 17th Epid Week for 2021, Dr Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry has recorded an increase in the case trend, with the cumulative number during this period at 79,881 cases.

“Of this number, Selangor recorded the highest at 22,099 cases or  27.7 per cent, whereas Kuala Lumpur recorded 7,019 cases or 8.8 per cent.

“Similarly Putrajaya recorded 264 cases or 0.3 per cent,” he said.

From January 1 until today, the Covid-19 case incident rate in Malaysia per 100,000 of the population is 872.

“Three states which have recorded the highest incident of cases include the KL Federal Territory with 1,583 cases, followed by Selangor with 1,486 cases, and Putrajaya Federal Territory with 1,140 cases.

“The ministry has also noted an increase in the Rt value for Malaysia, with the latest at 1.14 nationwide, 1.20 for Selangor, 1.16 for KL Federal Territory, and 1.0 for Putrajaya Federal Territory,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

The director-general added the ministry is now monitoring the usage and preparedness for critical/ICU beds in Klang Valley, via its Central Territory Unified Command Centre (UCC).

“Among the steps being taken by the UCC include the synchronised management of critical beds in Covid-19 hospitals in the Klang Valley for greater efficiency.

“Hospital Sungai Buloh which is fully operational as a Covid-19 hospital will increase its critical/ICU bed capacity in phases, according to the increasing need,” he said.

Other steps include reduction or postponement of elective surgeries and procedures in Klang Valley hospitals, which will free up more beds for the treatment of Covid-19 and enable medical personnel to be mobilised to more critical areas.

“The function of suitable ordinary wards will be repurposed for critical beds to accommodate the increased need. The ministry in turn will continue to cooperate with private, education or university hospitals in Klang Valley to increase the critical beds capacity,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

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