KUALA LUMPUR – The country’s record-high Covid-19 deaths yesterday mark “a dark moment”, said Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
Malaysia logged another 98 fatalities, taking its toll to 2,650.
Dr Noor Hisham said the latest deaths have caused mortuaries at Health Ministry hospitals to reach maximum capacity, and that it is getting increasingly difficult to store victims’ bodies.
“There were 472 deaths in 2020, while 2,179 deaths were recorded in just the first five months of 2021,” he said in a Facebook post last night.
“From May 1 to 29 alone, there were 1,144 deaths from Covid-19. This is the highest number of deaths per month so far.”
He said the Forensic Department is providing special containers to keep the bodies of Covid-19 and non-coronavirus patients at five hospitals – Selayang Hospital, Serdang Hospital and Sg Buloh Hospital in Selangor; Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru; and, Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Sabah – as well as a “fleximort” for Covid-19 victims at Selangor’s Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital.
Each special container can hold 20 bodies, while the “fleximort” can store 12, he said.
He said doctors are forced to make the difficult choice of prioritising patients with a higher chance of recovery when it comes to allocating intensive care unit beds.
“This is an implication that is not desired by any health worker, and yet, this difficult choice will have to be made when the health system reaches maximum capacity. Help us so that the national health system is not completely paralysed.
“All parties, from the highest level to the general public, need to help break the chain of Covid-19 infection. Make the best decisions and choices for the sake of the people and country.
“Let’s stay home. If you have important business outside, make sure you follow the SOPs so that you and your family members are protected. ‘Kita jaga kita’ (We look out for one another). Make sure there are no movements and gatherings. #LockdownKendiri #BantuSistemKesihatanNegara.” – Bernama, May 30, 2021
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