KOTA KINABALU – The take up rate on hospital beds in Sabah is running high but still manageable.
Sabah health director Datuk Dr Rose Nani Mudin said the occupancy rate for hospitals stands at 82.27% and 28.69% in intensive care units (ICUs).
“As of this evening, the situation is still manageable,” she told The Vibes last night.
Covid-19 infections have surged to four-digits in recent days and peaked at 4,374 cases today.
Health authorities are expecting the number to continue to spike in the coming days.
As of February 15, 2,843 patients are undergoing treatment in health facilities across Sabah.
Sabah has a total bed capacity of 4,185 in various facilities.
Hospitals have 1,566 units, low-risk centres have 2,220 units, 372 units at temporary detention centres and 28 units in private health facilities.
Currently, a total of 1,306 patients are in hospitals, 1,344 in the low-risk quarantine centres, 190 in temporary detention centres and two are in the private health facilities.
Meanwhile, 46 patients are now in the ICU and five in the open ward, while 18 patients are now on ventilation.
Health authorities also noted that there are currently 41 unvaccinated patients in stage four and five of the disease.
Dr Rose Nani told health news portal CodeBlue that most hospitals in Sabah have converted normal wards into Covid-19 wards, adding that most specialist hospitals have postponed elective non-Covid-19 cases to mobilise manpower towards the Covid-19 wards.
Such hospitals include Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu, Duchess of Kent in Sandakan, Sabah Women and Children Hospital in Likas, Tawau Hospital, Keningau Hospital and Lahad Datu Hospital.
Dr Rose Nani also said that there is an 80% to 90% drop in the number of patients being admitted to ICU this year compared with last year. – The Vibes, February 16, 2022
