NONE of the healthcare workers who have tested positive for Covid-19 were infected in wards or intensive care units (ICUs) used to treat patients with the coronavirus, said Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

The Health director-general said they were infected when they attended mosque gatherings or by patients who did not declare themselves as possibly infected.

“The medical personnel, that is, our frontline workers who have been infected, none of them were involved in the Covid-19 wards or ICU,” Dr Noor Hisham told a press conference in Putrajaya today.

“Perhaps that is the safest place because all our healthcare workers have protective equipment,” he added.

Dr Noor Hisam said the medical staff who contracted the virus had attended functions, such as mosque gatherings.

“(They) bring the virus to the clinic or the hospital. Or, it is patients who come to us who do not declare or inform us that they are related to a Covid-19 patient.

“After we provide treatment do they reveal they have had positive contact; then, we have to take care of ourselves and make sure we are tested.

“So, the medical workers who are infected are not from patients but from the community, like weddings of public gatherings,” he said.

The Health Ministry confirmed yesterday that 19 of its staff and five from private healthcare facilities have contracted Covid-19.

Two of the 19 ministry staff are currently receiving treatment in ICUs and investigations found that all of them were close contacts to the first and second generations of the tabligh clusters.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had yesterday expressed dismay and concern over the news.

“It is important to be honest when undergoing the screening as the information given is vital to the Health Ministry. This will also prevent ministry frontline personnel from getting infected,” the palace said in a statement yesterday.

“Sultan Abdullah also urged those who have had close contact with confirmed Covid-19 cases and developed symptoms of the disease to immediately go the nearest government health facilities for examination. Don’t take symptoms lightly.” – March 24, 2020.