Covid-19: Health DG urges visitors to Langkawi to follow SOP, help avoid spike in cases

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The Health Ministry has reminded those intending to visit Langkawi under the tourism bubble pilot project to always practise the new normal and continue adhering to standard operating procedures (SOP).

In an effort to find a balance between public safety and economic survival, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (pic) urged everyone to play their role to ensure no surge in Covid-19 infections will occur at the island resort.

“Your cooperation is very much needed,” said Dr Noor Hisham in a Facebook posting on Sunday (Sept 12).

On Sept 9, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Sukri announced that domestic tourists who fulfil the SOP criteria nationwide, including states in Phase One of the National Recovery Plan (NRP), are allowed to visit Langkawi Island beginning Thursday (Sept 16).

Following this, Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry, through the Kedah State Health Department, was increasing the capacity and preparedness of the Sultanah Maliha Hospital in facing the possibility of a spike in cases on the island which may require hospitalisation and intensive care unit (ICU) admission.

The hospital is a hybrid facility, with 79 beds allocated for Covid-19 patients and 142 beds for non-Covid cases.

Dr Noor Hisham said with the setting up of the Langkawi Covid-19 Low-risk Treatment and Quarantine Centre at the Langkawi International Shooting Range Malaysia on Aug 4, 60 additional beds have been provided to treat low-risk patients in Categories One, Two and Three.

“As for the ICU, eight additional beds were repurposed, making a total of 13 beds. Of this, nine are reserved for Covid-19 patients,” he said.

In addition, other departments at the hospital – including its Emergency and Trauma Department, Pathology Department, Medical Transfusion, Paediatric Department, Forensic Department and Hemodialysis Unit – are all ready should there be an increase in Covid-19 cases.

“Through discussions with the hospital and state Health Department, several proposals have been made, including setting a threshold value for daily patient admission rate, as a warning so that proactive steps can be taken.

“This includes the need for additional ICU and non-ICU beds for Covid-19 cases, mobilisation of health workers and assets from other districts or states, patient evacuation via air to the referring hospital, and the setting up of low-risk treatment and quarantine centres by the private sector,” he said. – Bernama