GEORGE TOWN, Sept 24 — Bed usage for the acute wards and intensive care unit (ICU) for Covid-19 patients at the Penang General Hospital were now almost at maximum capacity.
Hospital director Datuk Dr Teo Gim Sian said the acute wards were at 95 per cent occupancy.
“The ICU beds are at almost maximum capacity,” she told reporters in a brief joint press conference with Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) 2nd Division Commander Major General Datuk Arman Rumaizi Ahmad.
She said a dry run will be held today at the 100-bed field hospital that was constructed at the carpark area of the hospital.
“If it is successful, we will bring in patients at the earliest opportunity, by tonight or tomorrow morning,” she said.
She said the field hospital has 96 beds for acute cases and four ICU beds. According to Arman, the construction of the field hospital is now in its final stages of fine tuning the SOPs and procedures for the workers in terms of safety, precaution and ways to manage the patients.
“Overall, the facility is a complete ward that is able to handle category four and five patients,” he said.
Earlier, Chow, accompanied by Dr Teo and Amran, visited the field hospital in its final preparations before it opened for operations.
The field hospital was constructed within 10 days and Chow thanked the Health Ministry and the armed forces for making this possible.
