THE Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) low-risk Covid-19 quarantine and treatment centre will be reopened with 100 beds tomorrow, said the health minister.

Khairy Jamaluddin told a press conference that the move “is a pre-emptive measure and will act as a buffer, so public hospitals can continue to treat non-Covid cases and elective surgeries without any disruption”.

“MAEPS will reopen with only 100 beds tomorrow. At its peak (during Delta infections), MAEPS had 10,000 beds.”

If public hospitals have to treat both Covid and non-Covid cases, they have to separate beds and sections to avoid cross-infections, and this is difficult to manage, he added.

“MAEPS is for low-risk cases and step-down care.”

Though daily infections are high, the hospital bed utilisation rate is under control.

Khairy said 1,804 Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospital yesterday.

Of the total, only 621 (34.4%) are in Categories 3, 4 and 5, he added.

“Of the 621 patients, 78.8% are those who are either unvaccinated, have incomplete vaccination or are not boosted.

“The ones with the worst symptoms are those who are not protected by the vaccine or booster.”

Khairy said more coronavirus patients have been admitted recently, as the Health Ministry is taking precautionary measures.

“Most of those who are admitted are from Categories 1 and 2; only 34% are from Categories 3, 4 and 5.”

Malaysia recorded 31,199 new Covid-19 cases and 20,399 recoveries yesterday.

Of the fresh infections, only 194 (0.62%) cases are in Categories 3, 4 and 5. – February 24, 2022.