MIRI – Government hospitals and health clinics in Sarawak will only carry out Covid-19 tests on people displaying serious symptoms, said state disaster management committee adviser Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian.
“Our strategy will be to test only those presenting symptoms, particularly those showing symptoms under categories 3, 4, and 5 (medium to serious level).
“The official figures for categories 1 and 2 (asymptomatic or only mild symptoms) will therefore decrease significantly in Sarawak from next week,” he said in his Facebook post.
Dr Sim, who is also state housing and local government minister, said that by admitting only those under categories 3 to 5, hospitals and clinics can have more space for patients requiring urgent attention.
He also thanked Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin for approving the deployment of several Covid-19 equipment and facilities to the state on short notice during his working visit to Kuching yesterday.
“Sunday is an off day in Parliament, and he came and approved many important decisions on the spot that will help us a lot in dealing with the Covid-19 situation in this state,” he said.
“The federal side will be deploying more equipment and medical staff to help Sarawak cope with the daily increase in Covid-19 infections and deaths in all the major districts.”
Yesterday, Khairy had announced the deployment of 180 ventilators and 1,008 oxygen pumps, to be flown to Sarawak from Kuala Lumpur.
“The Royal Malaysian Air Force will use its aircraft to transport them to Sarawak this week. We will also send more personnel and add more ICU beds to the hospitals here.
“We are also building a new hospital in Sri Aman plus a field hospital in Sibu,” he said following his visit.
Yesterday, all urban districts in the state recorded a surge in infections.
There were 2,943 new cases plus 10 new confirmed deaths, said the State Disaster Management Committee secretariat.
Kuching recorded 810 new cases, Sibu (377), Miri (324), Bintulu (179), Limbang (150), Sri Aman (110), Bau (110), Samarahan (106) and many other districts several dozen cases each.
Four of them were brought dead from their home to the hospital.
The coronavirus death toll in this state has reached 759, as of yesterday evening. – The Vibes, September 27, 2021
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