ALOR STAR: The Kedah Medical Centre (KMC) will suspend its inpatient and outpatient services from Sept 9 to 11.
The move will enable it to undertake a full sanitisation process following the confirmation of Covid-19 transmission at the hospital.
The decision was reached following a meeting with state health authorities, said KMC's medical director Datuk Dr Kamaruzzaman Ali.
"KMC takes the Covid-19 pandemic very seriously, and we have very stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs). As such, since the start of the Movement Control Order (MCO) in March, the hospital has held weekly Infection Control Meetings," he said in a statement.
Dr Kamaruzzaman said KMC was already on high alert before the Sivagangga Cluster emerged in the state, and has been monitoring the situation through the Covid Antibody Surveillance.
"The temporary closure will allow us time to conduct a thorough cleaning of the hospital," he added.
Dr Kamaruzzaman said the KMC's Accident and Emergency (A&E) services will remain open to cater to casualty/emergency cases only.
He said patients requiring further treatment will be referred to KPJ Penang or KPJ Perlis Specialist Hospitals.
A total of 18 staff members of the KMC and seven of their family members have been identified as Covid-19 positive.
"All of KMC's 619 employees were screened as of today. All consultants were also screened for PCR.
"KMC has also undertaken contact tracing, which was immediately initiated, and all staff (exposed to Covid-19 positive employees) have been identified, tested and placed under quarantine," he added.