Covid-19: Woman's failure to disclose she lives with positive case leads to hospital closure

PETALING JAYA: A private hospital in Kedah will be closed for two days after a pregnant woman – who did not disclose that she lives with a Covid-19 positive family member – also tested positive for the disease after delivering her baby at the facility.

Pantai Hospital Laguna Merbok said that it was closing from March 22 and 23 to facilitate a full terminal disinfection and fumigation, following its first confirmed Covid-19 case.

"The case is of a 30-year-old Malaysian woman who did not provide full disclosure during the screening process at the hospital and was admitted for delivery following the usual process.

"However, she developed a fever after delivery.

"Further questioning led to the finding that the woman had been living with a family member who had attended the tabligh gathering at the Sri Petaling mosque in Kuala Lumpur and had been tested positive for Covid-19," it said on its Facebook page on Saturday (March 21).

Pantai Hospital Laguna Merbok said all areas visited by the patient was disinfected in accordance to stringent infection control guidelines, adding that contact tracing was initiated immediately.

"All staff who had been in contact with the patient have been identified, placed under quarantine and tested negative for Covid-19," it said.

The hospital noted that the patient was now receiving treatment at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah.

It added that clinical services would resume on March 24.

It also urged all visitors to be "socially responsible", by doing their part to curb the spread of Covid-19.

"This includes practising good personal hygiene and providing full and accurate disclosure during the screening process," it said.