KOTA BARU, Aug 14 — A total of 40 pregnant women who tested positive for Covid-19 in categories two and three, are currently receiving treatment at the Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital (HRPZ II).

HRPZ II director Datuk Dr Selasawati Ghazali said all of them were now placed in two special wards, set up to treat pregnant Covid-19 patients.

"On average, the patients are in their 27 weeks of pregnancy and above.

"Pregnant women who are tested positive for Covid-19 should be considered as a high-risk group because there are two parties involved, namely the mother and the child,” she told reporters after visiting the Covid-19 Low Risk Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC) at Dewan Jubli Perak, here today.

Dr Selasawati also suggested that PKRCs be equipped with facilities to treat pregnant Covid-10 patients.

However, she said the PKRCs should also located close to hospitals to facilitate further treatment, if necessary.

Meanwhile, she said the bed usage rate for Covid-19 patients at HRPZ II has now reached between 98 and 99 per cent.

Dr Selasawati said the increase in the bed utilisation rate was recorded because the hospital was treating high-risk Covid-19 patients who also had other chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma.

"We have also converted the existing wards into Covid-19 wards. Several areas have also been turned into wards to accommodate non-Covid-19 patients,” she said. — Bernama