VIRAL " Sabah Now Critical - COVID -19 "

PUTRAJAYA : Health Director - General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today described the pandemic situation in Sabah State as a " Critical / Crisis ", given the steady increase in COVID -19 everyday.

This, he said, is also the reason why the Health Ministry has called additional volunteers to help existing personnel in the state to tackle the pandemic of COVID-19.

He said under normal circumstances, the ministry's human resources would be sufficient.

" We are now in a crisis. What is sure is we are in a crisis in Sabah due to the daily increase in cases."

" We also have 19 quarantine and low risk treatment centres for State One and Stage Two cases. We need the additional human resources for these centres and for medical activities to be conducted on the fields, " he told a press conference today.

He said that so far, 492 medical personnel and 52 public health officers have been mobilised internally in Sabah State over the past month.

As of Oct 14, 2020, 175 medical and 48 public health personnel have also been mobilised from other states.

He said 767 officers from various categories and states have also been deployed to Sabah State to assist with efforts to battle the pandemic COVID-19.

Dr Noor Hisham was responding to questions on whether the ministry was strapped for manpower after calling for volunteers to help it address the pandemic crisis.

" We are open to the whole society and whole government approach. This is the time that NGOs can come forward and help us, especially in the quarantine and low-risk treatment centres as well as on the field.

" This is a war that we are facing. And what is certain is that we have to break the chain of transmission in Sabah State especially, and then generally in the Peninsular.

" Once again I would like remind all Malaysians to follow the SOPs. What is important is that we stay at home if we have nothing to do outside. If we do, we need to follow the SOP. We need to look after ourselves, our families, our community and the country."

@ Jackie San