SANDAKAN – Health authorities are using the badminton hall in the district’s sports complex to house Covid-19 patients as Hospital Duchess of Kent runs out of beds.
Hospital director Dr Francis Paul said the Covid-19 treatment centre is expected to be ready in a week and will have 200 beds for patients in stable conditions.
“The hospital is unable to cater to the sudden increase of Covid-19 patients in Sandakan. We thank Sandakan Municipal Council, Disaster Operation Control Centre and Sabah Sports Board for allowing us to use the sports complex.
“We also thank the Sandakan Community Welfare Department for loaning us some barrier screens.”
Today, Sabah recorded 274 new cases. As of this morning, a total of 196 patients are being treated at the Sandakan hospital.
The hospital has been struggling with the sudden rise of Covid-19 patients here. Some patients had to wait for hours due to insufficient beds.
Meanwhile, for the past few days, lorry drivers who transport essential goods to and from Sandakan, have been at Dr Kelvin Clinic in Bandar Prima Mile 4 here to undergo the antigen test.
This follows an instruction by the Sandakan Municipal Council. The drivers needed to test negative for Covid-19 before being issued approval letters for inter-district travel.
The test result will only be applicable for 72 hours, and drivers are required to retake the Covid-19 test after that.
Council president Wong Foo Tin today later retracted the instruction and said that all essential goods drivers are allowed inter-district travel with approval letters from the district police.
Sabah Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board chairman Datuk Chin Kim Hiung also stepped in to clear the confusion, assuring drivers that they do not have to retake the Covid-19 test. – The Vibes, October 9, 2020
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