Covid-19 facilities in Selangor not at critical stage yet, director says
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FACILITIES for Covid-19 patients in Selangor are not yet at a critical level, despite a rise in the infection rate (Rt), Selangor health director Dr Sha’ri Ngadiman said.
Sha’ri was responding to a report by Malay-language daily Sinar Harian on the possibility of a new wave of Covid-19 infections come December.
As of 8am today, he said, the utilisation of hospital beds for non-critical Covid-19 patients stood at 92% or 1,286 beds.
“The utilisation of beds in intensive care units and repurposed ICUs, for Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients, stood at 80% or 203 beds,” he said in a statement.
Sha’ri said ICU in hybrid hospitals and non-Covid-19 hospitals are also treating non-Covid-19 patients.
“The number of ICU patients who are confirmed or suspected to have Covid-19 stands at 82 cases or 42% of the ICU capacity in the whole of Selangor. The rest are non-Covid-19 cases.”
Currently, only one hospital has been designated as a full Covid-19 hospital, that is Sungai Buloh.
Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah in Klang, Hospital Selayang, Hospital Serdang and Hospital Ampang have been categorised as hybrid hospitals.
Hospital Shah Alam and all other hospitals in Selangor have been classified as non-Covid-19 hospitals, with the exception of emergency departments with hybrid status.
Speaking on the influx of new Covid-19 patients in Sungai Buloh Hospital, Sha’ri said the hospital functioned as a centre for all hospitals in the Klang Valley and not just Selangor.
“The ICU in Sungai Buloh Hospital accepts Covid-19 cases from other hospitals so that their ICUs can accept more patients.
“As of 8am this morning, 54 beds (96%) in Sungai Buloh Hospital’s ICU are occupied.”
To prepare for more Covid-19 cases in Sungai Buloh Hospital, he said, the oxygen gas system at the National Leprosy Control Centre has been upgraded.
“Sungai Buloh Hospital will also be supported by other hospitals in the Klang Valley.”
On Tuesday, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah warned that the national infection rate has been on an upward trend for the past 10 days. It was 0.92 on November 6, while it is currently 1.03. – November 18, 2021.