HOSPITAL Kuala Lumpur (HKL) had treated a patient on the floor at its emergency and trauma department as all the beds in the unit were occupied, said Dr Heric Corray.

The HKL director said that the patient arrived unconscious, without a pulse and was not breathing.

“At that time, all available beds were being used and it was found that the floor had the best flat surface, and so CPR (cardio-respiratory resuscitation) was performed immediately.

“However, the patient could not be saved. Because the cause of death could not be identified, the remains were sent to the forensics department for a post-mortem (and we are) now awaiting results,” he said in a statement today.

His statement comes after doctors from the HKL posted on social media that the emergency department had insufficient beds to accommodate the increasing number of patients.

They had also said the hospital’s eight wards were full, and they were in need of ventilators and oxygen tanks.

A photo of doctors performing CPR with the post had gone viral.

Corray said bed occupancy at the hospital had increased during the current phase of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said stages four cases are being brought to the hospital.

“However, bed occupancy planning is always being looked into and occupancy is based on current needs,” he said.

Corray said HKL has deferred elective surgery since last December as the hospital is prioritising emergency cases.

Earlier today, a doctor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Malaysian Insight the situation earlier this week was most critical. This was when Kuala Lumpur a record high of 1,361 infections.

He said the situation had reached a high of sorts when there was an influx of patients at the emergency department on Monday night. 

“On that night, we struggled to cope with the influx of patients. I witnessed four patients being resuscitated on the floor in the emergency department.  

“More and more patients with and without Covid-19 symptoms who are in a critical condition sought treatment during the period.

He said due to a shortage of beds, hospital staff had no choice but to place patients on stretchers. 

“When we run out of stretchers, they would be placed on wheelchairs, and if there are no wheelchairs, we don’t have a choice but to give them treatment on the floor.”

On June 29, Kuala Lumpur recorded 1,361 Covid-19 cases, making it the highest number in the capital since the onset of the pandemic.  

The doctor said that the influx of Covid-19 patients on Monday had caused the number of cases the following day to spike.  

“Our priority here is to begin treatment and save them. Due to a shortage of beds, if they are in critical condition and need immediate medical attention, then we will have to carry out emergency procedures on the floor,” he said.

A nurse from HKL also agreed that the cases in the hospital were rising periodically.

“This is not the first time there is an influx of patients. Previously, we also had to treat some patients on the floor.”

The nurse also added that the intensive care unit is constantly on full occupancy. 

“A lot of patients are waiting for a place in the ICU. 

“As soon as one person is discharged from the ICU, another person is immediately brought in.” – July 3, 2021.