KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 — The Health Ministry will begin procuring more Negative Pressure ambulances to ferry Covid-19 patients to treatment centres.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Adham Baba said Negative Pressure ambulances were important, especially in locations with a high number of Covid-19 cases.

"We will begin with the tender for 500 units of various types of ambulances and we will use the leasing system according to zones.

"This is so that logistics issues concerning Covid-19 patients can be resolved,” he said at the handover ceremony of the first Negative Pressure ambulance for Covid-19 patients held at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park (MAEPS) Covid-19 Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) here today.

The ambulance and two other regular ambulances were handed over by Weststar Group Automotive Division chief executive officer Syed Muhammad Ammar Syed Azman.

Besides having a negative pressure system, the ambulance is also fitted with a HEPA filter and ultraviolet (UV) lights which provide protection against infectious diseases, especially air-borne ones.

The HEPA filtration system and UV light clean the air and at the same time traps the virus from spreading.

The ambulance is equipped with an Isolation Chamber which is made from a special TPU film and strengthened by inserting ABS poles along each side of the structure.

Both the ambulance cabin and Isolation Chamber are also fitted with a safety alarm that alerts medical personnel of any air leakages and to take the appropriate action necessary. — Bernama