The Penang government has proposed for the Pesta Pulau Pinang site at Sungai Nibong to be used as a new low-risk COVID-19 centre as the current ones are reaching near full capacity.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow today said that the state government will meet with the state health department tomorrow to discuss the possibility of opening a new low-risk COVID-19 centre to cope with the growing number of patients in the state.

“We will be discussing whether the Pesta Pulau Pinang site satisfies the requirements as a low-risk COVID-19 centre,” he told reporters after participating in a food donation programme in Lebuh Klang here yesterday.

 Currently, Penang has two operational low-risk COVID-19 centres (outside of prisons), namely the Balik Pulau Sports Complex with a total of 432 beds, as well as Kompleks Masyarakat Penyayang (150 beds).“The low-risk COVID-19 centre in the Penang remand prison has been closed down as there are no more cases inside the prison, whereas the one in Jawi, Seberang Perai, is still operating as there are still a few more COVID-19 patients there,” he added.

Chow said there is a need to set up an additional low-risk COVID-19 centre in Penang following the increase in COVID-19 cases, this after more screenings done among foreign workers and their close contacts.

Source: Bernama