INTENSIVE care units (ICU) in five states continue to register occupancy rates of more than 100% as of yesterday, director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said.

The five states are Sabah, Kedah, Penang, Perak, and Perlis.

Sabah, which has the lowest vaccination coverage in the country with only 41.5% of its adult population fully vaccinated, registered an ICU occupancy rate of 110% or 145 beds.

Kedah has the highest ICU overcapacity rate at 128%, with the usage of 104 beds.

The other states with ICUs functioning at an overcapacity are Penang with 101% (69 beds) and Perak at 106% (90 beds).

Meanwhile, Perlis recorded a 100% ICU occupancy rate with the usage of 11 beds.

Kedah and Perak are among the four states besides Sabah and Kelantan to have vaccinated less than 50% of its adult population. Only about 47.9% of adults in Kedah and 48.9% of adults in Perak have received two doses the Covid-19 vaccine.

On the other hand, Selangor, which has been leading the daily Covid-19 case tally, is at the brink of full capacity with a 99% ICU occupancy rate or 337 beds.

“The nationwide ICU occupancy rate is (at) 89%,” Noor Hisham said while referring to the data as of 5pm yesterday.

It takes an average of 14 to 21 days to treat an ICU patient, depending on the severity of the Covid-19 infection.

Meanwhile, the nationwide occupancy rate for non-ICU beds is at 76%, with Penang reporting the highest usage at 829 beds or 110%. – September 3, 2021.