USM Hospital requires patients' companions to get tested for COVID-19

USM Hospital director Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Sukari Halim said it was also based on the assessment of the current situation of COVID-19 infection in the state especially in Kota Bharu, including the threat of the Delta variant which is spreading rapidly.

"The latest positive case involved a patient's companion at USM Hospital, causing the management to tighten the permission policy for companions effective July 20.

"Companions will only be allowed for bedbound cases based on certain criteria decided either by the staff at the Emergency Department or in the wards," he said today.

Dr Ahmad Sukari said companions were not allowed for patients in the Maternity Ward, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) Ward and COVID-19 Ward.

Dr Ahmad Sukari said only one companion is allowed for one patient at a time and only those who passed the risk assessment and their RTK-Ag or RT-PCR COVID-19 test results came back negative (within 72 hours) would be allowed to accompany the patient.

"The companion must be in the USM Hospital area at all times and if they went out of the hospital area, they will only be given permission to re-enter after repeating the RTK-Ag or RT-PCR test with a negative result.

"For critically ill cases or death in the ward, only two next-of-kins are allowed to enter at one time and their RTK-Ag or RT-PCR test results came back negative," he said.