Covid-19 - Klang Valley ICUs nearing full capacity, warns Health DG

 

Intensive care unit beds for Covid-19 patients at public hospitals in the Klang Valley are nearing full capacity, warned Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said at present, 88 percent of the 152 ICU beds available for Covid-19 patients were occupied.

This comes as the number of infections soars, with the number of patients in ICUs and requiring ventilators reaching record highs.

Previously private hospitals said they, too, were running out of beds for Covid-19 patients.

Giving a breakdown of the ICU situation, Noor Hisham in a statement today said that the Sungai Buloh, Kuala Lumpur, Ampang, Serdang and Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Klang hospitals have all exceeded a 70 percent capacity.

Meanwhile, the Selayang Hospital and the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre's Covid-19 ICUs are above a 50 percent occupancy.

"This was caused by a 62 percent rise in critical cases compared to two weeks ago.

"As of today, 108 ventilators are needed for Covid-19 patients in the Klang Valley alone," he said.

In response to the situation, he said the Sungai Buloh Hospital was increasing its ICU capacity in phases.

Suitable regular wards will also be repurposed to serve as critical wards. Thus far about 80 regular ward beds have been repurposed for critical treatment.

The Health Ministry also proposed that elective procedures and surgeries be reduced or postponed so that more hospital beds can be used for Covid-19 treatment.

Noor Hisham said that the Covid-19 situation in the Klang Valley was worrying and that if the current trend of infections continues, the country's health system would be in a critical state.

As such, he urged the public to help the Health Ministry by complying with the various health SOPs to curb the spread of the virus. - Mkini