KUALA LUMPUR – In contrast to the practice of getting Covid-19 patients to hospital immediately, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah now says asymptomatic patients should be isolated at home due to logistic challenges.
He told Malay Mail that this is because the Health Ministry is facing a very high number of cases and logistics issues when it comes to ferrying patients to hospitals.
“This happened in Sabah, too. We are talking about more than 1,000 cases a day. This is because of increased testing among foreign workers and, as expected, more cases being diagnosed.
“Foreign workers have no place in which to be isolated... We have thousands here. We are increasing the number of beds to 10,000,” he was quoted as saying.
Dr Noor Hisham said people waiting to be taken to hospitals are advised to stay in touch with district health offices.
His statement came after a complaint by a business owner, who said her infected employees has not been contacted or taken to government hospitals.
Despite that, she has ordered her other 17 employees to observe self-quarantine.
“Two of my staff members tested positive for Covid-19. Till today, the ministry has not contacted them, no pink bands, nothing,” she was quoted as saying.
Since yesterday, Malaysia has 20,233 active Covid-19 cases. – The Vibes, December 28, 2020