ALOR SETAR – A patient who evaded initial Covid-19 screening at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, here, caused 73 patients and hospital staff to be infected, sparking the Telaga 2 cluster.
Kedah health director Dr Othman Wirajo confirmed that “patient zero”, who was being treated for a kidney ailment at the hospital’s nephrology ward, was found positive for Covid-19 during a routine screening exercise.
“By then, the virus had transmitted from him to 73 others at the same ward, comprising 32 patients, 23 medical staffers and four health support crew as well as 14 relatives,” he said.
Dr Othman pointed out that 11 individuals are currently classified as Category 1 or asymptomatic patients, two in Category 2 (light symptoms), one in Category 3 (pneumonia), 15 in Category 4 (requiring ventilation support) and three in Category 5 (intensive care).
The cluster has so far recorded 10 deaths while 22 patients remain hospitalised.
None of the medical and health support staff, he said, were warded except for one, as a precaution due to her being pregnant.
Dr Othman added that 16 individuals, who are not medical staff, were asked to quarantine at home.
The ward, he said, has since been closed for sanitisation, while haemodialysis services for outpatients have resumed as normal.
Dr Othman said that those under the continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis have been relocated to the diabetic resource centre.
Despite such setbacks, Dr Othman said that if everybody cooperated, the war against Covid-19 can be won, but sacrifices need to be made in line with new norms such as physical distancing, wearing masks and good personal hygiene. – The Vibes, August 16, 2021
