Staff and patients in Serdang, Selayang hospitals infected with Covid-19
They are the second and third Selangor public hospitals, which do not treat Covid-19 patients, to experience infections among staff this month...
UPDATED 5.50PM | COVID-19 | At least a dozen staff and several patients at Serdang Hospital and two nurses at Selayang Hospital have been infected with Covid-19 this month.
They are the second and third Selangor public hospitals, which do not treat Covid-19 patients, to experience infections among staff this month.
Multiple sources told Malaysiakini that the Serdang Hospital infections, including among nurses and specialists in several departments and wards, were first detected early this month.
Among departments affected include the cardiology and cardiothoracic departments, multiple sources told Malaysiakini.
It is learnt that the infections are part of the Lestari cluster announced on Dec 13, as detected in the districts of Petaling, Hulu Langat, Klang and Sepang.
The cluster, linked to a nursing home, has 42 cases to date.
Meanwhile, health news website CodeBlue reported at least two operation theatre staff nurses at Selayang Hospital were infected after contact with an infected patient.
The website reported that the nurses only wear face masks while attending to patients if the patients test negative with the initial Antigen rapid test (RTK Antigen) kit.
Results are derived faster using RTK Antigen, but it is less sensitive in detecting Covid-19 and has a higher chance of producing false negatives, compared to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
Yesterday, the Selangor Health Department (JKNS) confirmed that 50 staff members and an undisclosed number of patients at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR), Klang, tested positive for Covid-19.
Malaysiakini learnt at least 50 patients who were hospitalised for non-Covid issues at HTAR have also tested positive for Covid-19 and have been sent to Sungai Buloh Hospital for treatment and observation.
HTAR, which has 1,094 beds, and Hospital Serdang, which has 763 beds, do not treat Covid-19.
Malaysiakini yesterday contacted JKNS, Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and Selangor exco in charge of health Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud to seek confirmation on the Serdang Hospital infections.
Siti Mariah said she has no knowledge of it as all information is held by the JKNS and Health Ministry. The ministry is yet to respond to requests for comment.
Hospital short-staffed due to quarantine requirements
Meanwhile, multiple sources confirmed to Malaysiakini that several departments in Serdang Hospital are under pressure after both infected staff members and those who had contact with them were placed under quarantine.
According to the Health Ministry procedure, those who had close contact with Covid-19 patients have to be swabbed and must undergo home quarantine for 10 days.
Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported sources as saying that several hospitals in Selangor are facing infections among staff.
It is learnt that some Selangor hospitals are now imposing mandatory pre-admission Covid-19 tests.
Before this, screening was done using a questionnaire to assess the potential risk of Covid-19 infection, with only higher-risk patients tested before admission.
Selangor is currently the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak in Malaysia with 7,363 cases reported in the past fortnight, mostly concentrated in factories and construction sites.
The sub-district of Dengkil, where Serdang Hospital is located, reported 129 cases in the past fortnight.
Editor's Note: The article has been amended to state that HTAR is not a Covid-19 hospital. The error is regretted.
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