KUALA LUMPUR: Cases of influenza and severe acute respiratory infections are on a downward trend, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pic).
The Health Minister said cases of influenza-like illness had dropped in recent weeks from 9.68% in the middle of this month to 8.18% for the period between Oct 19 and 25.
“The cases of severe acute respiratory infections have also showed a downward trend and decreased slightly from 10.56% to 10.45%,” he told a press conference after a handing over ceremony of advanced physiotherapy equipment to the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital (HRC) yesterday.
Dzulkefly said the ministry will continue to monitor the situation and liaise particularly closely with the Education Ministry on cases affecting schools.
On Oct 16, he told Parliament that about 83% of influenza clusters were detected in schools and kindergartens.
He also said there were no plans to order schools to close or to require students to wear masks.
He said the closure of a school or any premises would only be carried out upon the advice of the health district authorities, after taking into account several factors.
Meanwhile, Dzulkefly said 7,373 patients sought outpatient physiotherapy treatment at HRC as of September this year while 1,190 were warded for treatment during the same period.
“The average length of stay of inpatients was about 22 days.
“The average recovery outcome based on objective measures is between 75% and 80% of patients achieving their rehabilitation targets,” he added.
Earlier in his speech, Dzulkefly said HRC was among 21 hospitals and medical institutions to be upgraded as centres of excellence (COE) under the ministry’s national health reform agenda.
He said a RM100mil allocation was set aside to raise the status of the hospitals and institutions as COEs between this year and 2026.
He said HRC received 37 types of advanced physiotherapy equipment worth RM5.38mil under the programme.
“Those involved with rehabilitation should not be viewed just as victims of accidents but as individuals in their entirety.
“Rehabilitation should not be only about healing muscles and nerves.
“It also involves the mindset and spirit of patients so that they will have hope, dignity, and pride after going through traumatic injuries,” he said.
