ANOTHER Covid-19 quarantine and treatment centre for low-risk cases has begun operating in Labuan today to accommodate the increasing number of Covid-19 cases there.

Director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the Labuan Federal Territory Health Department set up the new centre with a capacity of 140 beds at the Labuan Corporation Hall in addition to the 177 beds prepared previously, bringing the total to 317 beds.

“The opening of the quarantine and treatment centre at the Labuan Corporation Hall within 24 hours is made possible with the cooperation of all parties, including the National Security Council, police, Labuan Corporation, other agencies in Labuan as well as Taiwan Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation Malaysia, Industrial Training Institute and several other contributors,” he said while thanking all those involved in the effort.

Noor Hisham said the existing workforce would be fully utilised at the new centre and reinforcements would be sent as and when required.

Meanwhile, he said 20 out of 122 beds at Labuan Hospital had been reserved for category 4 and 5 Covid-19 patients, while the remaining 102 beds, including those in the intensive care unit, would be used for other patients.

According to Noor Hisham, the number of infections reported in Labuan is expected to go up, as 1,500 to 2,500 targeted screenings were being carried out by the department on a daily basis.

He said of the 23,087 samples taken in the Federal Territory since September 27, an average of about 1.5% tested positive, while in enhanced movement-control order areas, the rate was about 10 to 15%.

“From the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak until September 26, Labuan had only recorded 26 cases cumulatively, but since September 27, Labuan has recorded an additional 366 cases, bringing the total number of cases to 392,” he added. – Bernama, October 29, 2020.