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ALOR SETAR: The state government has urged the public to remain vigilant and continue taking preventive health measures in the face of the increase in Covid-19 cases in the state.
Mentri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said that around 200 hospital staff members and those in close contact at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital have been quarantined and help provided to affected victims.
“The state health department examined more than 600 people connected to the Sungai and Telaga clusters,” he said yesterday.
Kedah Health Committee Chairman Datuk Dr. Mohd Hayati Othman said the state government would recommend several additional measures to the Health Ministry to contain the spread of the virus.
“While we understand that the final decision rests with the ministry, we believe that any additional measures would help,” he said.
Kedah is seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases with 16 new cases reported yesterday, mainly from the Sungai group.
The group, which originated from a 39-year-old healthcare worker at a private medical facility, saw more hospital staff and their relatives infected with the virus.
Kedah Medical Center (KMC) has been closed from yesterday until September 11 for sanitation reasons.
KMC Medical Director Datuk Dr. Kamaruzzaman Ali said the three-day lockdown would give them time to do a thorough cleaning.
“The emergency and accident services of the hospital will remain open to attend to cases of injuries / emergencies.
“Patients requiring further treatment will be referred to KPJ Penang or KPJ Perlis specialist hospitals,” it said in a statement.
Dr. Kamaruzzaman said that a total of 18 KMC staff members and seven of their family members had been identified as positive for Covid-19.
As of Tuesday, all 619 KMC employees, including consultants, had been screened.
Dr. Kamaruzzaman said that environmental swabs would be done in 50 areas of the hospital and that all areas visited by staff and patients had been immediately disinfected in accordance with strict infection control guidelines from the Ministry of Health.
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