june, 2020 | The Health
05
Briefs
on
queries,” he
until the
s could do the
ya Aidilfitri
ildcare
e of the
school-going
sync when
the return
ths to ensure
building.
home will
ody who
come to [do
d flexitime
the hours they
r.
home when
g your boss
g reachable,”
nd
plans to
he proceeds
cluding the
he field of art,
rtraits by the
about 30 years
his paintings
Europe, the
0 solo
play his
cial artist
ames in
ofessional
Building owners, employers must
improve indoor air quality
Building owners and employers must take
action to improve air quality to prevent the spread
of Covid-19 through the air-conditioning system.
Alliance for Safe Community Chairman Tan Sri
Lee Lam Thye said in a statement, the owners of
buildings, offices and shopping malls must take
heed of the advice of the authorities and take steps
to improve indoor air quality when such workplaces
re-open following the Movement Control Order
(MCO) that came into force on March 18.
According to Lee, it is the responsibility of
all building owners and employers to observe
and comply with the Health Ministry’s Standard
Operating Procedures to improve ventilation and
ensure proper air circulation.
Lee said workers were entitled to return to work
in a safe and healthy environment. “The safety and
health of clients, customers and the public must
also be assured and protected,” he said.
Malaysia among Asean countries
performing most Covid-19 tests
Malaysia is among the Southeast Asian
countries that carry out the most Covid-19 tests,
said Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor
Hisham Abdullah. In a statement on May 15, he
said so far, the Ministry of Health (MoH) had
conducted screenings on 424,306 people, of
which 6,855 tested positive, translating into a
1.62 per cent positive rate. The number of people
screened is equivalent to about 13 people per
1,000 population, he added.
“This shows that Malaysia is among the
countries carrying out the most Covid-19
screenings in Southeast Asia. Targeted screenings
are carried out on groups identified as at high risk
of contracting Covid-19,” he said.
Volunteers sew suits for nearby
medical centres
Some women and a couple of men who live
in Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras and Kampung
Malaysia Raya in Sungai Besi, did not hesitate to
volunteer when asked to sew Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) for staff at Hospital Canselor
Tuanku Muhriz UKM and the National Heart
Institute, both in Kuala Lumpur.
Many of the 24 volunteers worked round-theclock
to finish the suits within two days so they
could be dispatched to the hospitals as quickly as
possible. Apart from the gowns, the volunteers also
made face shields as well as shoe and head covers.
Some worked from home while others
completed the task at a facility owned by the Kuala
Lumpur Community Development Department
(Kemas). They were careful to practise social
distancing while sewing.
The initiative was a collaboration between
Rukun Tetangga Cheras district (Cheras JPKRT)
and Kemas. “I responded to a call for help from a
mutual friend who saw a Facebook posting and
connected me to the hospitals, ” said Cheras
JPKRT chairman Mohd Zainuddin Amran.
Plasma donation by recovered
Covid-19 patients ongoing
Nine patients who were infected with Covid-19
and recovered have donated blood plasma for
research and to be used by patients.
Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham
Abdullah said of the nine, three patients donated
twice. Currently, the Ministry of Health has 22
plasma packs available. These plasma packs have
also been distributed to Sabah and Sarawak.
Plasma from patients who have recovered
from Covid-19 contains antibodies that can help
critically ill patients. “If there’s a need to use the
plasma we will, especially in patients who have a
poor immune response. The plasma from infected
patients has a high antibody response,” said Dr
Noor Hisham. — The Health