COVID-19: More than 80 per cent of patients have no or mild symptoms

"If we could trace the patients early and screen them positive, the patients would be warded for monitoring.

"More than 80 per cent of our patients are in category 1 and 2 which means we could monitor them in the hospital while in some countries, they would not be warded and are only monitored at home," he told the daily COVID-19 media conference here today.

Dr Noor Hisham was commenting on whether complications such as blood clot and stroke were detected among patients as reported the United States.

Dr Noor Hisham was explaining on the development of COVID-19 treatment and how it is crucial to identify patients early.

He said there are five categories, those having no symptoms, mild symptoms, pneumonia not requiring oxygen therapy, pneumonia requiring oxygen therapy and cases needing ventilator.

He said the medication used for patients with mild symptoms is hydroxychloroquine since the first day.

"But we have to monitor for side effects. Maybe in terms treatment, our medication at the initial stage could prevent the symptoms from getting worst.

"So we are advising those with symptoms or positive to be hospitalised for monitoring. But if they come in too late there maybe complications of the lungs, internal organs as well as bleeding," he said.

Dr Noor Hisham took the example of a 36-year-old Myanmar in Kuala Lumpur Wholesale Market area, who succumbed to the disease for coming in late.

"We could not do anything and despite giving him respiratory assistance, the patient died. It would be difficult for us if the patient is late.

"We looked at the post-mortem and found various complications from the infection, as well as inflammation," he said.

Dr Noor Hisham also said the post-mortem also identified COVID-19 virus on the skin, body fluid, urine and internal organs of the patient.

"If we are not careful in managing the body, we maybe infected while preparing the body for burial," he said.