ALOR STAR – The situation at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital here is under control as the last Covid-19 case was recorded on Monday after 42 staffers tested positive on July 9.
Kedah Health Department director Dr Othman Warijo said hospital operations have returned to normal, but he promised to adhere to strict standard operating procedures to break the chain of infection.
“We do not want last week’s situation to recur anywhere in the state.”
The hospital made headlines after 42 staffers tested positive on July 9, although there have been no details on the variants involved.
Dr Othman said non-emergency and non-Covid-19 appointments have been postponed.
Kedah Health Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman had said on Tuesday that intensive care unit usage in the state was more than 80%.
He added that the state is unable to move to Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) as it fails to fulfil the threshold indicator on ICU bed capacity.
He said the state fulfilled the indicators on vaccination and daily Covid-19 cases.
The increase of daily cases, he added, was due to the screening of two areas in Kuala Muda that are under the enhanced movement control order.
Meanwhile in Penang, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said more vaccination centres have opened to help provide 30,000 jabs daily.
Penang is expected to receive a total of 703,448 doses this month and it aims to ease into Phase Three of the NRP by August. – The Vibes, July 15, 2021
