Use of ICU beds at Melaka Hospital at warning level

The use of Covid-19 ICU beds at Melaka Hospital is nearing the warning level with 51 out of 72 occupied as of yesterday.

State Health and Anti-Drug Committee chairman Rahmad Mariman said additional ICU beds had had to be placed in regular wards as there are 145 patients including non-Covid-19 patients being treated at the ICU, over its current capacity of 114.

“This is not a simple matter as it requires special beds, equipment and many things require the proper setting. It is not comparable to a real ICU,” he said at a press conference today.

As of yesterday, 116 patients with minor symptoms were being treated at the Covid-19 low-risk quarantine and treatment centre at the Melaka International Trade Centre in Ayer Keroh.

“Another 352 patients are still awaiting placement. We are also continuing to house 301 patients at the Malaysian Agro Exposition Park Serdang, Selangor, while 350 patients are self-isolating,” Rahmad said.

He said seven more vaccination centres will be opened in Melaka to speed up the vaccination process.

He said three of the centres began operations today, at Dewan Hang Tuah, Dewan Create Simpang Ampat Alor Gajah and Dewan Hj Ithnin Merlimau.

The remaining four centres at Dewan CTRM Batu Berendam, Dewan MMU, Dewan MPHTJ Bukit Beruang and Dewan UITM Alor Gajah are expected to begin operations on June 15.

“We hope that with the additional centres, an estimated 109,510 people will be vaccinated. This means 97% of those who qualify for Phase Two and have registered on MySejahtera will be vaccinated by June 30,” he said.

In a related development, four factories in Melaka – two each in the Melaka Tengah and Alor Gajah districts – have been ordered to close temporarily from May 21 to June 3 due to a rise in positive cases at the premises.