KUANTAN: Residents here have been warned to brace themselves for the worst including a spike in Covid-19 cases after the Aidilfitri celebrations if they continue to ignore the Standard Operating Procedures(SOP).
State Health Director Datuk Dr Bahari Che Awang Ngah said Pahang has displayed a worrying trend in the number of cases between March and this month.
"In March, there was an average of between 10 and 20 cases reported in a day and now the cases have increased to 70 a day. The increases are mainly in Bentong, Raub and Kuantan.
"Everyone has to strictly comply with the SOPs or else things can get worse with the department expecting between 90 and 100 cases a day in early June which could result in up to 700 cases a week," he said in a statement today.
Dr Bahari said if the number of active cases surpassed 1,700, then it will exceed the number of beds at hospitals and the Covid-19 Low-Risk Quarantine and Treatment Centres (PKRC) in Pahang.
He stressed that there has been an increase in stage four (patients developing pneumonia and requiring respiratory aid) and stage five (suffering from shortness of breath and need breathing apparatus aid) patients at hospitals in Pahang.
"Stage four and five patients have increased to 3.8 percent compared to only two per cent previously. The occupancy rate at Intensive Care Units (ICU) has tripled compared to normal and if it continues, the hospitals will not be able to cater to the large number of patients requiring ICU beds.
"To curb the rising trend of Covid-19 cases, the public has to strictly follow the SOPs when making preparations before and during the Aidilfitri celebrations. Full adherence to SOPs is vital in battling the pandemic," he said.
Yesterday, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail warned the people here to comply with the SOPs saying if cases continue to worsen things will be difficult to control.
He said people were not taking the SOPs seriously resulting in the sudden spike in cases in several districts especially Kuantan.