e-Covid data centre set up

By Xavier Kong

A central database to manage information from the various hospitals treating Covid-19 in Malaysia has been established, along with a system to compile test results from the various laboratories testing samples for Covid-19, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today.

The database, e-Covid, and the lab network, called SIMKA (Sistem Informasi Makmal Kesihatan Awam), allows the results and information to be digitally reported from the field, and should increase the efficiency of the frontliners in combating Covid-19.

Today, 88 recoveries were reported, bringing the total number of discharged patients to 5,439, almost 80% of the total number of confirmed cases.

Of the 36 new cases confirmed, 28 are foreign nationals. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Malaysia to 6,855, of which 1,304 are active transmission cases.

Of the 1,304 cases being treated, 14 are in intensive care, with 5 of those requiring ventilator support. No deaths were reported today, leaving the death toll at 112.

Dr Noor Hisham also said that to date, a total of 424,306 people have been tested, a rate of 13 tests conducted per 1,000 people.

“This marks Malaysia as having one of the highest testing rates among Asean countries,” he said, adding that lab testing capacity at the 45 labs has reached 20,673.

With regard to the 20 persons per house at a time during Hari Raya guideline, Dr Noor Hisham said to forget the number as it is not one size fits all.

He stressed that the point is to maintain safe social distancing. – May 15, 2020