KLANG: In what is seen as a worrying trend, some 91% of Covid-19 patients brought in dead (BID) to the hospital had been unaware they were infected.

       Even their loved ones did not know that their late relatives had contracted Covid-19.

       Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin disclosed this Thursday (March 3) and said family members found out about the infections only after post-mortems were carried out on the remains of their loved ones.

       "We analysed the data from Feb 5 to 21 and found that 91% of the 113 BID cases had not known they had contracted Covid-19," Khairy told a press conference after launching the national level observation of World Hearing Day 2022 at the Serdang Hospital.

       Due to this, Khairy urged the people, especially those who are elderly, to be immediately taken to hospital if they displayed any symptoms linked to Covid-19 such as fever, flu and cough.

       Sabah recorded the highest number with 35 BID cases - all of which had gone undetected for Covid-19 prior to death.

       This was closely followed by Selangor with 25 BID cases of which 19 had gone undiagnosed.

       Khairy reiterated that most of the relatives of the BID Covid-19 cases were unaware that their loved ones had been infected.

       "Based on our survey, more than 50% of those who had died were not referred to health facilities quickly as they were unaware of the infection," said Khairy, adding that when they finally realised it was Covid-19, it was too late.

       Khairy also urged the 350,000 elderly Sinovac recipients who have not taken their booster shots yet to do so as soon as possible.

       He reminded them that Covid-19 can kill elderly people with comorbidities.

       On another matter, Khairy said he will be meeting the parents of 13-year-old Revnesh Kumar on Friday (March 4).

       Revnesh had died in January allegedly three weeks after being innoculated against Covid-19.

       He added that the post-mortem and Chemistry Department report had already been released and he would be sharing the findings with the deceased's parents.

       "I will be meeting the parents in my office tomorrow morning and I feel it is best I meet with them first before anything is publicly announced," he added.