By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Jan 14: Nurses hostels in Sibu have been converted to beds to serve surging Covid-19 patients in the division.
State Health Department director Dr Chin Zin Hing informed that the authorities are also in the midst of getting some other institutions to be converted to treat Covid-19 patients.
This measure was taken as Sibu Hospital, being the only public healthcare facility in the division, is at risk of buckling under the strain of soaring numbers of infections not only from Sibu but also nearby areas.
“The converted places will serve most of the positive patients with mild symptoms or without any symptoms. They will be housed there to be isolated and treated.
“And the Sibu Hospital beds will cater to patients with more serious cases as well as other critical patients who need to be warded,” he told DayakDaily when contacted today.
With the Divisional Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) assisting to manage the worsening Covid-19 situation, Dr Chin added that they will try to get more institutions to be converted.
“The list of institutions involved has not been finalised so I will get on it later on,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Sibu, Kanowit and Selangau have been placed under Movement Control Order (MCO) for two weeks starting midnight Saturday (Jan 16).
In announcing this, State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) emphasised that the second phase of the MCO would be in effect at 12.01am tomorrow until 11.59pm of Jan 29.
This drastic measure is taken to stem soaring numbers of Covid-19 infections in the division over the past week.
Pasai Cluster in Sibu recorded the biggest jump in new cases over the past week with triple digit cases to become the biggest cluster with 462 cases to date.
Another 157 positive cases were added to the cluster today. — DayakDaily
