PUTRAJAYA – A total of 509 private general medical practitioners (GPs) have been given authorisation letters to issue home surveillance and observation (HSO) orders to Covid-19 patients.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the HSOs will be issued to confirmed patients who would then be treated at the Covid-19 Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) managed by a private medical centre or allowed to stay respective home.
“A total of 509 GPs have been given the authorisation letters to issue HSO bracelets for patients who tested positive to be treated at the PKRC or sent home and monitored,” he said.
Dr Adham said this in a special press conference on the Health Ministry’s (MoH) preparedness and strategy in managing the pandemic in the Klang Valley today.
He said MoH has received applications from time to time in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2021.
“Cooperation between GPs and private medical centres has increased to assist MoH,” he said.
Dr Adham said MoH is working with private medical practitioners and employers to set up a Covid-19 Assessment Centre and PKRC.
In another development, Dr Adham said a total of 2,341 fully vaccinated healthcare personnel have been infected but did not have severe symptoms.
“A total of 2,341 healthcare personnel became infected after being vaccinated, of which 778 people are in Category 1, 1,559 in Category 2, two people in Category 3 and 4, respectively, with none for Category 5.
“The advantage of vaccination is that these individuals do not reach Category 5, and experience reduced severity and mortality. Vaccines protect healthcare personnel from severe infection,” he said.
He said a total of 9,392 healthcare workers have been infected with Covid-19 since the pandemic hit the country, involving 3,411 nurses and 1,229 medical officers.
Besides that, Health Secretary-General Datuk Mohd Shafiq Abdullah said the issue of funding applications from the private sector have not arisen because funds provided by the Finance Ministry (MoF) are sufficient for Covid-19 management efforts.
A total of RM1 billion has been spent to meet current needs and MoH is negotiating with MoF for an additional RM1 billion as part of preparations until this December in the event that new case numbers continue to rise.
Meanwhile, the health minister has said the recent surge in daily Covid-19 cases in Selangor is due to active detection and screening activities in areas under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO).
Dr Adham said 25,005 screenings were conducted on July 6 as compared with 19,614 on July 5, and testing has been further increased in the following days.
“Yesterday, Selangor recorded 4,400 cases, and 4,152 on July 8. From this data, we see more contact-tracing activities and screenings in EMCO areas. Public health activities are expected in EMCO areas, hence the increased screenings.”
He said detection and screening activities must be actively implemented in EMCO areas to prevent and stop the spread of Covid-19.
The screenings saw infected individuals being isolated and treated according to infection category, whereby patients in Category 4 and 5, namely those with pneumonia and in need of oxygen and respiratory assistance, were sent to hospital for intensive care.
Contact tracing must be carried out to detect asymptomatic individuals so that they can be isolated from the community as well as prevent continuous transmission from occurring, he said.
“The virus incubation period is 14 days but with the new variant it can be up to 21 days. So, in the 14 days, we will see an increase in activities to detect, trace and screen,” he said.
Dr Adham said as the screenings are also to detect asymptomatic cases, there would be an upward trend before a drop can be seen, as cases continue to be isolated and treated.
In addition, Dr Adham said MoH has also decided to administer vaccines in EMCO areas nationwide, after those infected with the virus have been isolated.
“The EMCO period is 14 days, so during this time health workers will conduct screenings. Those who test negative will be given their vaccination appointment date. They must get vaccinated as soon as possible after the EMCO ends,” he said. – Bernama, July 10, 2021
