IPOH: The Covid-19 cases in Perak are expected to see sharp increase in the next two to three weeks, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said.
Dr Noor Hisham, who was in Perak for a one-day working visit yesterday visited several hospitals to see their readiness to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Noor Hisham when visiting the Raja Pernaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB) said that there has been an increase in Covid-19 cases in Perak recently, especially Category 4 and 5 patients that require critical care or intensive care unit (ICU).
"As of yesterday, there were 121 Covid-19 patients being treated in the ICU with an average rate of seven days of ICU bed use exceeding 100 per cent.
"The Perak Health Department in collaboration with the state government and various agencies are actively preparing to face the sharp increase in Covid-19 cases which is predicted to happen in the next two to three weeks.
"For HRPB, a total of 223 ward beds and 42 ICU beds have been reserved for Covid-19 treatment. The hospital has started treating Covid-19 patients since January," he said on his Facebook page yesterday.
When visiting the Taiping Hospital, Dr Noor Hisham said the hospital has experienced an increase in Covid-19 patient admissions since the end of June this year.
"As of July 31, a total of 237 new cases were reported in Larut, Matang and Selama districts of which 175 cases were reported in the Taiping sub-district.
"As of July this year, a total of five wards with a capacity of 120 beds and 16 ICU beds have been reserved for Covid-19 treatment.
"Preparations are underway to face the increase in Covid-19 cases which is expected to peak in the next two to three weeks," he added.
Meanwhile at the Tapah Hospital, Dr Noor Hisham said there are 100 beds and 28 beds have been reserved for Covid-19 treatment.
"Cumulatively as of June this year, the number of Covid-19 patients who have been treated at this hospital is 527 people.
"Apart from that, this hospital also provides health services for the Covid-19 Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) of the Tapah Prison," he said.
At the Slim River Hospital, Dr Noor Hisham said they also received referrals for Covid-19 Category 3 to 5 patients from Selangor, especially the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) and Petaling district's Covid-19 Assessment Centre (CAC).
"I visited the Slim River Hospital with a capacity of 250 beds where 69 ward beds and four ICU beds (repurposed) have been reserved for Covid-19 treatment," he said.