EIGHTY healthcare workers in 30 Health Ministry facilities have tested positive for Covid-19, but none of them handled infected patients, said Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He told The Malaysian Insight that all 30 facilities have been disinfected.

“Yes, they have been disinfected. All staff screened and tested as I have shared the numbers yesterday,” he said when contacted.

Graphics uploaded on his Facebook page showed Teluk Intan Hospital as having the most number of Covid-19 patients among healthcare workers at 39.

They had attended two weddings that were also attended by people who had been to the tabligh gathering at Masjid Jamek Seri Petaling.

The emergency department and the observation ward of the  hospital was closed yesterday for cleaning and disinfection after it was found  that its medical staff had been infected.

The emergency department is temporarily operating out of the outpatient building while hospital operations continue as usual.

Other hospitals with infected staff are Selayang Hospital in Kuala Lumpur (5), Kota Baru’s Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II (4), Seri Manjung Hospital in Perak (3) and Tuanku Jaafar Seremban Hospital (3).

Shah Alam Hospital reported two cases.

All other facilities, including the Health Ministry headquarters in Putrajaya, reported one case each.

Dr Noor Hisham said in a Facebook post that these infections were not due to handling Covid-19 patients.

He also advised frontliners to take preventive measures such as ensuring that their hands are always clean, practice social distancing and to always don personal protective equipment. – March 26, 2020.