PICK contributes to drop in COVID-19 patients in category three to five

MELAKA, Sept 23  -- Implementation of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) in Melaka is beginning to show its effectiveness with the drop in the percentage of patients in Category 3 to 5 from 17.8 percent in March to 2.1 percent last month.

State Health and Anti -Drug Committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman also attributed the situation to  74 per cent of the population in Melaka having completed the vaccination as of last Sept 15.

 “It can be seen here that PICK is very effective in lowering the number of severe cases or the level of severity of cases. In terms of COVID-19 pandemic management, the drop in the number of severe cases in categories three to five is more important than the decrease in the number of cases," he said in response to an oral question from Datuk Md Rawi Mahmud (BN-Tanjung Bidara) during the State Assembly (DUN) sitting today.

Rahmad said during the initial stage of PICK, a total of 17.8 per cent of the patients were detected in categories 3 to 5, and it dropped to 8 per cent in April, May (6.5 per cent), June (10.2 per cent), July (2.3 per cent) and August (2.1 per cent).

He said the drop was in tandem with the increase in the percentage of the state’s populations who completed their vaccination, namely 2.1 per cent in April, May (5.7 per cent),  June (7.1 per cent, July (25.2 per cent, August (58.1 per cent) and 58.1 per cent as of Sept 15.

Rahmad said the positive development of PICK could also be seen through the use of beds at hospitals, COVID-19 quarantine and treatment centres (PKRC)  in the state.

Until yesterday, the bed utilisation rate at the Health Ministry’s hospital was 43 per cent, PKRC at Melaka International Trade Centre (47.6 per cent) and private PKRC (48 per cent), and also only two beds were used out of 75 beds available at the field hospital.

To a question from Seah Shoo Chin (PH-Kesidang) on ​​the delay in conducting funeral arrangements  for patients who died due to COVID-19 at hospitals, Rahmad said it was due to the high death rate at Melaka Hospital.

"It is true that there was delay, which happened a few months ago due to the high number of deaths in the hospital, of up to 15 to 18 cases daily. It was slow because of the rules and procedures that have to be observed.

“Test has to be conducted tests before the bodies could be buried to confirm whether the patients died due to COVID-19," he said.

However, he said, the issue was resolved by holding a centralised funeral at the Tanah Perkuburan Bidadari Ayer Keroh for Muslims and extending the operation of the crematorium centre for the non-Muslims.

-- BERNAMA