KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 ― A woman had snuck into the Miri Hospital in Sarawak to be with her in-patient husband as portrayed in a widely-shared video recently, but the incident did not take place in the Covid-19 wards as many believe.
In a statement today, the management of Miri Hospital clarified that the woman had been under enormous stress due to her husband’s medical condition, which was not disclosed, and added that a counselling session has been provided to the woman.
The management said it had introduced stricter policies in terms ward visits to reduce the risk of spreading the Covid-19 infection to hospital staff and the local community and acknowledged that this could have made it difficult for some patients and their families to communicate with each other.
“This incident happened as a result of family members who refuse to cooperate and comply with hospital policies.
“The incident has been settled thanks to the assistance of the police,” the hospital management said.
It also urged people to stop sharing the video on social media to protect the patient and his family's welfare.
Local daily The Star also reported Sarawak Health Department director Dr Chin Zin Hing confirming that the woman was under tremendous stress due to her husband's medical problems.
“That is why she behaved as she did in the video,” he was quoted saying.
In the video that has since been posted on the internet, a voice could be heard telling a woman wearing a face mask standing inside an inpatient to leave the hospital ward as she was not supposed to be there.
Several nurses could be seen attempting to escort the woman out when she resisted and responded angrily, calling them “crazy” and saying she should be afraid of them as she was not covered by personal protective equipment gear against Covid-19.
Several internet users had wondered at the woman’s ability to enter the hospital ward.
Visits to warded patients in public hospitals by unauthorised people have been tightened further after staff and other patients contracted Covid-19 over the last few months.
Malaysia is currently in the grip of a third-wave of the virus and new cases nationwide continue to chalk four digits daily.
