ICU cases not just stats but people with families, reminds Noor Hisham

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today reminded Malaysians that their fellow citizens who are battling Covid-19 in intensive care units were not mere statistics but living, breathing human beings with families.

"The number of cases treated in ICUs has reached 641 cases. This includes 469 confirmed cases of Covid-19 of which 244 require respirator assistance.

"These ICU cases are not mere statistical figures. Each of them is a father, mother, brother, sister or best friend of a person," said Noor Hisham on his Facebook page.

"Many of our ICU wards are full of Covid-19 patients and hospitals have repurposed other areas such as regular wards into ICUs," said Noor Hisham.

The DG had warned on May 8 that Covid-19 ICU beds were filling up fast and public cooperation was necessary to ensure the healthcare system did not collapse.

Last week, at his first press conference in more than two months, he presented data to show that four hospitals in the Klang Valley were already operating beyond capacity and that nationwide, 19 public hospitals had more than 70 percent of their Covid-19 ICU beds filled.

"In this festive season, I urge all to continue to abide by the SOPs and celebrate in a simple way in small family units only.

"Protect our dear family members, especially the elderly, children and pregnant mothers from the risk of this virus infection," he said.

Noor Hisham also undertook a visit to speak to frontline medical personnel at the Putrajaya Hospital on the first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri today.

“The war is still going on and the people of the Ministry of Health are the last line of defence to break the Covid-19 chain. Let's continue to try our best to free the country from this pandemic.

"Health workers have been 'at war' for a very long period, almost 16 months.

"Most of us are already tired mentally and physically but if we do not help to break the chain of Covid-19 infection, then many communities will be infected with the virus," he told the media.