COVID-19: Tighter screening for flood evacuees with cold

KOTA BHARU:The Kelantan Health Department will pay specific attention to flood victims suffering from cold to curb the spread of COVID-19 in flood relief centres.

Its director Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin said currently, evacuees with cold symptoms, which is also one of COVID-19 symptoms, would be subjected to tighter screenings.

“Previously, water-borne diseases such as skin disease, cough, fever and cold, are common diseases, but during the current COVID-19 pandemic, we have to do specific check-up especially for evacuees who have cold, before it spreads.

“We have also made arrangements with the hospitals, agencies and districts involved to contain the infectious disease,” he told reporters here today.

He said the flood situation this time around was different due to the set standard operating procedures (SOP) to contain the virus.

“The department has 14,000 employees including non-medical staff and to date, there is no problem and the number of staff is sufficient,” he said.

-- BERNAMA