Healthcare worker, 32, among two new Covid-19 fatalities

PUTRAJAYA: A 32-year-old female healthcare worker attached with the Health Ministry was among the two latest Covid-19 fatalities on Thursday (April 23).

According to Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, the woman, the 94th death recorded, had a history of high blood pressure and close contact with patient number 3,662.

She was treated at Hospital Enchè Besar Hajjah Khalsom, Johor on April 6 and was pronounced dead on April 23 at 12.36am.

“This is the third death among Health Ministry’s officers, ” he said.

The 95th death was a 67-year-old Malaysian male with a history of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and kidney disease.

Meanwhile, Dr Hisham said as of April 23, there were a total of 325 Health Ministry officers who had tested positive for Covid-19.

From this figure, he said 185 had fully recovered and been discharged, while 137 were still receiving treatment. There were a total of three deaths.

These cases consisted of 77 medical officers, 66 nurses, 34 graduate medical officers, 23 specialists, 21 assistant medical officers and 104 others under other services.

According to Dr Hisham, investigations concluded that all of the ministry officers did not catch Covid-19 while handling positive cases at its facilities.

“It is found that 70% of cases were due to personal activities such as attending receptions, going overseas among others, ” he said.

He urged every frontliner in the fight against the Covid-19 battle to always practise preventive steps such as ensuring clean hands, avoiding crowded and confined spaces, maintaining social distancing and always using personal protective equipment when handling patients.

“The Health Ministry will continue to monitor developments of Covid-19 through every information we obtain, and Malaysians will be informed from time to time, ” he added.