Malaysia treats all COVID-19 patients in hospitals until full recovery - Health DG

Malaysia ensures COVID-19 positive patients, asymptomatic carriers and those with mild symptoms are isolated and treated at hospitals for close monitoring.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in Malaysia patients testing positive for COVID-19 are isolated in hospitals and not at home like in some other countries.

“This is something different from other countries. And because of the close monitoring and treatment given we achieved a better outcome,” he said during his COVID-19 daily briefing at the Health Ministry here, on Wednesday.

Dr Noor Hisham said if one looks at the United Kingdom and Italy, positive patients, asymptomatic carriers and those with mild symptoms are advised to stay at home.

He said this when asked about national hammer throw athlete Jackie Wong who was still under isolation and treatment for COVID-19 at the Sibu Hospital in Sarawak since March 16.

He said the main duration (for isolation) is 14 days but we need to do the test and if it was still positive, then the patient would need to remain in hospital.

Dr Noor Hisham said perhaps this is the reason why Malaysia’s asymptomatic and mild symptom patients are about 88 per cent.

Malaysia today recorded 85 new positive cases and 169 recovered cases. Presently the cumulative number of discharged cases in Malaysia is 2,647 or 52 per cent of the total positive COVID-19 cases which is 5,072.