TAXI driver Abdul Malik Zaini never thought he would lose his sister to Covid-19 as she had shown no symptoms of illness, let alone any indication that she had contracted the virus.

Kedah-born Malik, 49, said his sister passed away suddenly on July 28 a week after she turned 51.

“She did not show any signs of Covid-19, so our family did not know or suspect anything.

“I received a call from my nephew telling me that she had been taken to hospital after suffering breathing difficulties.

“I did not think it was anything serious, just shortness of breath, but paramedics told my family her oxygen level dropped sharply.

Two hours after Malik’s sister was taken to hospital, doctors informed the family she had died, adding that she was infected with the Delta variant. She was declared dead on arrival (DOA).

Malik said his nephew took the Covid-19 test following his mother’s death and was also asymptomatic.

Till today, said Malik, no one knew how his sister contracted the virus.

“I could not even attend her funeral. Everything was handled by the hospital. I could only look from afar as she was taken to her grave by health officials in full personal protective equipment (PPE),” he said.

Dr Chong Chee Kheong, commander of the Greater Klang Valley Special Task Force, said the emergence of the Delta variant and the presence of many asymptomatic individuals who are not aware they are infected are reasons why there is a spike of Covid-19 cases in the Klang Valley.

Health Ministry data revealed that close to 2,000 Covid-19 patients have been declared DOA in the past four months. Yesterday alone, 77 DOA cases were reported. Malaysia’s death toll from Covid-19 now stands at 12,784. 

Chong said that despite the vaccination programme being ramped-up, the number of daily new cases was still rising because the protection offered by the vaccines took time to build.

He said 80% of DOA cases for Covid-19 were found to have never been diagnosed with the virus.

“They either have no access to diagnosis or have never come forward to be tested.

“Sixty per cent (of the infected people) are usually asymptomatic and around 30% have mild symptoms. Only 5-10% need to be checked physically at the Covid-19 assessment centre.”

The Delta variant was first discovered in India in December 2020 and was then known as the Indian variant, or the B.1.617.2, variant of concern (VOC).

World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently said the variant is ripping through the world at a scorching pace, driving a new spike in cases and deaths.

Malik’s grief is shared by 38-year-old Fatimah, who lost a colleague last week in similar circumstances.

Fatimah is an Indonesian and worked as a gardener at a housing estate in Section U13 in Shah Alam, Selangor.

“She was my good friend because we came to Malaysia together five years ago. We did not know each other prior to our journey here but we became friends at work,” Fatimah said.

“At work, we wore masks and we were given hand sanitisers. We were also constantly reminded by our employers that we needed to observe social distancing.

“I do not know how she contracted the virus. Maybe from the convenience stores run by Acehnese but I cannot be sure of that. That is all I can think of,” she said.

Fatimah recalled how her friend skipped work on August 2 after complaining of chest pain and headache.

“As she was married, we lived separately and I didn’t know her condition. On that day,  she did not turn up to work and a friend told me she was not feeling well.

“That evening after work, I texted her but she did not reply. I tried asking her husband but he did not respond either. Later that night, I got a text from a friend telling me that she had died at Sungai Buloh Hospital, just hours after she was admitted.”

“I was in disbelief. Just a week before, she looked healthy. Her last words to me were ‘I’ll see you on Monday’ (August 2). She was a soft-spoken woman and also a hard-working employee.

“All she wanted was to have a decent life once she returned to Indonesia,” said Fatimah, adding that she was told her friend was also a victim of the Delta variant.

Fatimah was ordered to take the Covid-19 test and has been cleared by health officials.

The Malaysian Insight was also notified by a local group about the death of an undocumented migrant worker several days ago in Kuala Lumpur.

The 49-year-old victim passed away at her home.

“The woman, a migrant worker, died at her home three days ago. She lived alone and a neighbour who went to check on her and found her motionless.

“He called the authorities and her body was taken to HKL where they confirmed that she was Covid-19-positive.

“It is just sad that she died without no one knowing. No one knew she was sick and probably she didn’t know she was infected as well, a spokesman of the group said.

A health official from the Sungai Buloh Hospital told The Malaysian Insight that a person is considered DOA when he or she does not respond to treatment by doctors upon reaching the hospital.

“When a patient is brought in and does not respond to our emergency treatment and dies shortly later, he or she is declared DOA,” the health official said.

“With the Delta variant, your oxygen level will drop drastically and your condition will deteriorate quickly,” he said, adding that in such cases, the survival rate is very low.  – August 17, 2021.