In a statement, MMA president Dr N Ganabaskaran said he was deeply concerned upon hearing of healthcare workers who had not been fully adhering to infection control guidelines when attending to their patients.

“All healthcare workers, in particular those attending to patients at high risk of Covid-19, must ensure that they are adequately protected with the recommended PPE (personal protective equipment) according to the guidelines.

“It is unacceptable and inexcusable for a healthcare worker to ignore these basic protocols.

“Healthcare workers must ensure the highest standards of infectious disease control are maintained at all times. The coronavirus does not discriminate and anyone can be at risk,” he said.

Ganabaskaran also said that Covid-19 cases in Malaysia were on the rise with yesterday recording 100 new cases – the largest number since June 4.

Expressing concern that the public might be taking SOPs lightly as the economy was picking up and “life may seem it has returned to normal again”, Ganabaskaran said the rise in cases should be taken as a warning since it could easily spike if people let their guard down.

During a press conference yesterday, Noor Hisham said he was concerned about the public’s growing disregard for Covid-19 SOPs, pointing out that even frontliners were now becoming careless.

“The (health ministry’s) advice is beginning to be taken lightly, and this also includes frontliners who are healthcare workers and also from other agencies,” he said, adding that frontliners had a higher risk of being infected with Covid-19 or other infectious diseases while at health facilities.