Sabah Fire and Rescue officer succumbs to Covid-19

 

COVID-19 | Sabah Fire and Rescue officer Alias Abu has passed away after testing positive for Covid-19, Bernama reported.

He is the first Fire and Rescue officer from the Covid-19 battleground state to have died after contracting the virus.

The 56-year-old was a senior fire superintendent II (PgKB II) and served as operations director of the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department.

He was stationed at the state Disaster Operations Control Centre (PKOB) during the Covid-19 outbreak in the state.

According to the government newswire, he died at 9.15am yesterday (Nov 2) in Kota Kinabalu and will be buried in Kampung Kuala, Papar.

Alias was reported to have heart problems as well as asthma.

He along with 14 other Sabah Fire and Rescue officers tested positive for the virus on Oct 16.

As of noon yesterday, Sabah continued to be the state hit the hardest by Covid-19 with 503 new cases and two deaths - an 88-year-old man and a 75-year-old woman.

To be classified as a Covid-19 death, patients need to test positive using an RT-PCR test.

Condolences pour in

Sabah Fire and Rescue Department chief Kamarulzaman Malik Abdullah told Bernama that the late Alias had been at the heart of the force’s Covid-19 response team.

“He was a dedicated, responsible and disciplined officer in carrying out his duties. He was also patient and not fussy with his work.

“We feel at a loss because he was a friendly and calm person who did not panic easily during emergencies. Moreover, he served in the operations department, which is the ‘heart’ of the Fire and Rescue Department,” he was quoted as saying.

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, who oversees the force, also offered her condolences.

“His passing is a big loss to the Fire and Rescue family in Malaysia, a team that has transcended fatigue and been involved directly in public sanitisation operations to help the country curb the spread of Covid-19.

“I pray for his family members, relatives and friends as well as all members of the Fire and Rescue Department to persevere and be patient in this ordeal,” she said in a statement. - Mkini