PUTRAJAYA, 7 May 2020:
Malaysia has yet to plan an exit strategy in controlling the Covid-19 outbreak despite the two-digit downward trend in the number of positive cases to date, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
He said the Ministry of Health (MoH) would continue to monitor the development trends of Covid-19, including new clusters, until the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) is scheduled to end on May 12.
“This monitoring is up to May 12. But on May 8 or 9, MoH will see a trend then to advise the Prime Minister for appropriate action,” he said at the daily media conference here.
Dr. Noor Hisham said MoH had so far been able to control the case to two figures and hoped to continue to control and reduce Covid-19 cases as much as possible for another week.
He said monitoring had to be done due to the existence of new clusters such as the previous construction site cluster and the security guard cluster today.
“For the security guard cluster, it was found that they lived up to 15 people in one apartment. While investigating them appropriately, we try to prevent infection from spreading among them and deterring them from living together in a congested manner.”
Dr Noor Hisham said the MoH detected 10 positive Covid-19 cases among security guards at a shopping mall in Cheras, here, involving Nepalese (nine) and a Malaysian (one), to date.
Meanwhile, asked on the request of some quarters to reopen barber shops during the CMCO, Dr Noor Hisham confirmed the matter had not been approved by the MoH.
He explained this is because there were reports in Japan and the US regarding Covid-19 infection among barbers and their clients. “We are watching closely before we can give permission to other sectors such as hair cutting outlets to operate.”
He said MoH focuses on prevention in its fight against Covid-19, but at the same time, it is highly prepared and ready for the worst.
Dr Noor Hisham said although the ministry has the capabilities – in terms of hospital facilities such as wards, equipment and manpower – preventive methods coupled with monitoring, were far better options than treatment.
“Although we are very much prepared when it comes to treatment, our actions now is focused on prevention. If we can prevent infection, that would always be better than treatment.
“We want to enhance public healthcare. It is a collective responsibility… a social responsibility, not only to be undertaken by MoH or the government but a responsibility of all Malaysians.”
Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said the number of beds at Covid-19 hospitals nationwide stood at 5,500, with only 864 beds, or 16%, in use currently.
At the 26 Covid-19 quarantine and treatment centres meanwhile, there are 3,875 beds, but only 557 beds (14%) are being utilised, he said.
As for critical care beds for patients under investigation (PUI) and Covid-19 patients, there are 438 beds allocated, but so far only 19 patients are occupying them. Of the 1,091 ventilators available, only eight are being used at the moment, Dr Noor Hisham said.
– Bernama