GEORGE TOWN – The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) is ready to reopen field hospitals in any location to address the possibility of a third Covid-19 wave involving the Omicron variant.
Its second division commander, Major General Datuk Muhammad Huzaimi Sabri, said, however, so far there have been no instructions from the Health Ministry to reopen field hospitals in the country.
“Personally, if instructed, we are ready to reopen the field hospital to help.
“But so far, there are no instructions from any party.
“We are always ready if needed,” he said when met by reporters today.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin yesterday said that 306 out of the 366 positive Covid-19 cases among travellers from December 21 to 25 are possibly of the Omicron variant.
Khairy said the data was obtained through the Institute for Medical Research resulting from a PCR Genotyping Assay test.
Last Saturday, Khairy announced that a total of 62 cases of Omicron have been detected in Malaysia so far.
Meanwhile, Huzaimi said that Penang Hospital became the last field hospital in the country, after operating for 97 days starting from September 24.
Apart from Penang Hospital, he said, the MAF also set up field hospitals in eight other locations nationwide to help treat patients and address the rise in Covid-19 cases.
“Among them are in Kepala Batas, Johor Baru, Selayang, Alor Star, Labuan, Tawau, Tuanku Mizan Hospital (Kuala Lumpur), and Kapit, Sarawak.
“All field hospitals in the eight locations have been closed in stages since last year,” he said – The Vibes, December 29, 2021.
