BAGAN SERAI, Sept 20 — The Ministry of Health has conducted the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) test on frontliners involved in efforts to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said apart from the staff of the ministry, the test also involved various related parties including the policemen and the Malaysian Armed Forces personnel to assess their stress levels and concerns.

"Besides that, tests are also done on staff who have family members who were tested positive for Covid-19.

"DASS has 22 questions that need to be answered to find out the level of depression and those with serious depression will be referred to medical experts,” he told a press conference after the closing the Ride Merdeka and Malaysia Day programmes near here today.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Azmi, who is also Bagan Serai MP, said the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019 found that 2.3 per cent or 500,000 people in the country suffered from depression with Putrajaya recording the highest percentage at 5.4. — Bernama