ICU nears capacity, Kelantan resorts to field hospital

 

The intensive care units (ICUs) in Kelantan are almost at capacity, forcing the state government to set up a field hospital and a new Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC).

The field hospital will be set up in Padang Perdana, Kota Bharu, while the new PKRC will be in the Kelantan Trade Centre. Both facilities are within walking distance of the Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital.

State executive councillor for Local Government, Housing, and Health Dr Izani Husin said 55 out of 60 ventilators in Kelantan are currently being used and this is a cause for concern.

"The existing PKRC is already almost full. However, the field hospital and a new PKRC will only last a few days if the number of new Covid-19 cases does not subside.

"The situation in Kelantan is critical. We are forced to seek help from the Health Ministry and other states," he said, after attending a meeting by the state chapter of the National Security Council (NSC).

Izani said the meeting included a discussion with the military on the cost of setting up a field hospital.

Kelantan state executive councillor Dr Izani Husin

He also said that Kelantan is facing a shortage of healthcare staff.

"We are facing a lot of problems. If there is another PKRC, then we need more staff," he said.

Over the past 14 days, Kelantan has been seeing an average of 445 new cases daily, despite more than two weeks of the movement control order (MCO) restrictions coming into force. - Mkini