KUCHING: Staff of elderly care centres have been reminded to be cautious in their movements as they could potentially be putting senior citizens under their care at risk of contracting Covid-19.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said it had been discovered that most infections at elderly care centres were from staff who were found to be positive while outside the institutions.
“To prevent infections in elderly care centres, it is not just about the standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance within the centres but also the movements of staff when they are outside.
“We want to remind these care centres to strictly comply with SOPs. The senior citizens under their care cannot leave the centres at this time and the staff need to fill health declaration forms,” she told a press conference here today.
She was commenting on the recent Covid-19 cases at two elderly care centres in Sibu.
She said the authorities were still carrying out investigations to find out whether the infections were linked to the Pasai Cluster.
“These cases are saddening and worrying because they involve senior citizens, who are a high-risk group in terms of Covid-19 infections.”
Fatimah said one of the elderly care centres had operating for three years but was not registered with the Sarawak Social Welfare Department.
“At this time, 25 occupants and 13 staff have tested positive,” she said.
The minister revealed an occupant returned from his family home on Feb 9 and was found to be short of breath.
“The centre operator sent the occupant to Sibu Hospital and upon examination, it was found that the occupant was positive for Covid-19. The operator then requested for swab tests to be carried out at the premises to determine if the other occupants and staff had been infected.”
She said Health Ministry officers conducted the tests on Feb 13 and found many other occupants and staff were also infected.
Fatimah added said all positive persons were being treated at the hospital while those that tested negative were required to stay at the hostel and not allowed to return to their homes.
“According to the operator, all SOPs were complied with to curb the spread of Covid-19 at the premises,” she said, adding that her ministry had instructed the care centre to close in the meantime.
“Our advice after this episode is for the elderly care centre to register with the ministry so we can monitor and advise accordingly.”
Fatimah said the second elderly care centre was registered and SOP compliance monitoring conducted on July 20 last year found that the level of compliance was very good.
“A random inspection of all occupants and staff at the care centre carried out on Feb 13 from the Lanang Health Clinic found 10 persons were positive for Covid-19.
“According to the centre supervisor, there is a possibility that the infection was from a staff living at the Salim Longhouse. This is because all occupants are not permitted to leave the premises or receive visits from outside.”
She said this elderly centre was closed immediately for sanitisation operations by the Fire and Rescue Department.
