SUNGAI PETANI, Aug 6 — Two public hospitals namely Baling Hospital and Sultanah Maliha Hospital, Langkawi need cold storage containers to temporarily place the remains of the COVID-19 patients.
Kedah State Health director Dr Othman Warijo said the facility was needed in preparation for the possible increase in deaths due to coronavirus at the two hospitals.
So far, only Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar, Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani and Kulim Hospital have received refrigerated containers to keep the remains of the COVID-19 patients,” he told reporters here today.
In the meantime, he said the department would also increase the number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds at the three hospitals in the state, namely Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital and Kulim Hospital.
“Currently, there are 96 ICU beds in all public hospitals in Kedah, and on average, the daily use of the beds has reached more than 90 per cent.
“Most of the patients admitted to ICU will be in the unit for a long time, on average of 21 days before being discharged or transferred to a regular ward. That is why the ICU beds are always full,” he said.
Earlier, Dr Othman accompanied Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor to inspect the opening of the mega vaccination centre at Amanjaya Sports Arena here with a capacity of 5,000 doses per day.
