KUALA LUMPUR – A video that has gone viral showing congestion at the Covid-19 Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) does not reflect the real situation there, the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) said.
Corporate communication unit head Nur Daliza Dohat said the video does not show the entire hall where the Covid-19 patients are accommodated, and no information was provided.
She said the PKRC at MAEPS has 8,000 beds and is capable of accommodating a further 2,000.
“As of midnight last night, there were 2,863 patients, meaning there are still 5,137 beds empty.
“The situation in the video that shows congestion at the PKRC is confusing. What was shown in the video is a normal situation during the daily discharge process,” she said.
She said although there are no partitions in the hall, physical distancing of patients is being implemented in line with standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The absence of partitions enables workers to monitor patients more effectively, she said, adding there are currently 1,170 workers from various agencies on duty at MAEPS centre.
MAEPS was reactivated as a PKRC on December 9 after it was closed last July 15. It was first opened on April 16.
It was reactivated to place asymptomatic Covid-19 patients to ensure adequate hospital beds for symptomatic patients.
Meanwhile, Daliza said the cumulative number of Covid-19 patients placed at the PKRC since its opening is 19,121 people, comprising 18,362 men and 759 women. – Bernama, January 9, 2021
