Hospital Sungai Buloh Covid-19 spike due to patient transfers, says director

PETALING JAYA: The increase in the number of Covid-19 cases at Hospital Sungai Buloh’s intensive care unit (ICU) is due to it being a full Covid-19 hospital and a reference hospital for the Klang Valley, Selangor health director Dr Sha’ari Ngadiman said.

His response came after a tweet by Dr Azfar Kamal, a doctor with the hospital, who sounded the alarm on a possible new Covid-19 wave in December.

Azfar said the normal wards and ICU for Covid-19 patients at the hospital were filled with Category 4 and 5 patients.

Sha’ari said Hospital Sungai Buloh received Covid-19 cases from other hospitals to make more ICU beds available in those hospitals for non-Covid cases.

“As at 8am today, the number of ICU beds utilised in Hospital Sungai Buloh was 54,” he said in a statement, adding that it amounted to 96% of the beds available.

He said the hospital was prepared for any rise in Covid-19 cases requiring admission, with the nearby National Leprosy Control Centre also being able to take in patients following the improvement of its oxygen gas system.

“Other than that, the hospital is supported by other hospitals in the Klang Valley if there is a need for admission of Covid-19 cases to hospitals or ICUs,” he said.

Sha’ari also said the number of ICU patients who were suspected or confirmed Covid-19 positive patients in Selangor was 86, or 42% of the total ICU capacity.

“The remaining are non-Covid-19 cases,” he said. — Free Malaysia Today