KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — The government has ensured there are sufficient beds and medical supplies to treat Covid-19 cases in Sabah, the worst hit state.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said nine hospitals and 31 quarantine centres have been built catering to infected patients there, following anxiety over reports citing the Sabah government that its hospitals had reached 99.5 per cent capacity, forcing it to ask lower-risk patients to stay home for their treatment.

"This third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is very difficult to deal with, but we are more prepared to deal with it as compared to the beginning of the pandemic in March and April.

"The Health Ministry is constantly looking into the needs of the hospitals and quarantines centers like beds, medical equipment such as ventilators and the sorts,” Dr Noor Hisham said in his daily press briefing today.

Of the nine Covid-19 designated hospitals in Sabah, only 70 per cent of 1,123 beds designated for Covid-19 patients are occupied, and only 30 per cent out of 4,730 beds in the 31 quarantine centers are occupied as of today.

Out of the 127 intensive care units available, 98 are in use and of 163 ventilators readily available, only 62 are in use.

"We will continuously monitor the need for beds and ventilators in Sabah, but we are confident that we can tackle the cases there,” he said.

Dr Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry is sending fresh medical personnel and supplies to Sabah daily and has prepared stock in advance for the days to come.

He added that even though new Covid-19 cases in Sabah are very high, the rate of recovery is also high.

"Cases are rising, but discharge rates are also rising. So we hope, with this rate of recovery, that the amount of beds set will be enough to support the new cases coming in,” said Dr Noor Hisham.

Sabah today recorded 889 new Covid-19 cases, but also recorded 449 recoveries.