KUCHING: The testing capacity for Covid-19 in Sarawak will be increased to 1,040 per day, says Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
Dr Noor Hisham said there are currently four laboratories in Sarawak capable of testing 898 samples a day at Sarawak General Hospital, Miri Hospital, Sibu Hospital and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).
“Sarawak General Hospital is expected to receive a machine equipped with the capacity to conduct 200 Covid-19 tests a day to be operational in early May,” said Dr Noor Hisham during a daily Covid-19 update at Putrajaya yesterday.
For Bintulu Hospital, he said the hospital will be equipped to test 50 samples for Covid-19 a day in middle of May.
Explaining the number of beds available in Sarawak to treat Covid-19 patients, Dr Noor Hisham shared there are currently a total of 736 beds in Sarawak General Hospital, Bintulu Hospital, Miri Hospital and Sibu Hospital with total of 63 beds for critical treatment and 112 ventilator machines for use.
Dr Noor Hisham explained five facilities have been identified in the state as quarantine centres to treat low-risk patients with 901 beds available.
“The critical services provide by Sarawak General Hospital is operating as usual and the Ministry of Health is closely monitoring the situation,” he assured.
If necessary, Dr Noor Hisham said the Ministry of Health will send samples for Covid-19 testing to private laboratories as a short-term measure. In total, he said the state has 18 hospitals that can carry out screenings for Covid-19, compared with five hospitals previously.