THE government has gazetted 409 areas nationwide, including institutions with hostels and training centres, as quarantine stations to place Covid-19 patients.

The government gazette published today said the places were declared quarantine stations under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

The dedicated quarantine centres include educational institutes, Kem Bina Negara centres, community colleges, Rela centres, government rest houses and other institutes.

Earlier today, Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the ministry was expecting the number of Covid-19 cases to increase next week.

He added the Health Ministry also needed to procure more ventilators as part of its preparations.

The ministry needs 500 ventilators for the 26 hospitals designated for Covid-19 treatment.

Talks with China are currently under way on the procurement of medical equipment, he said.

Currently, the Health Ministry has 925 ventilators.

In addition to that, 3,400 hospital beds and 300 intensive care units (ICU) in the 26 hospitals have been earmarked for Covid-19 patients.

Malaysia has recorded eight Covid-19 deaths. It reported 153 new cases today, bringing the total to 1,183 cases, among the highest in Asia.

The daily number of cases has also hit triple digits for seven straight days now. – March 21, 2020.