Page 29 - Living-on-the-frontline-of-COVID-19-in-MCO-and-CMCO

Surveillance activity for the pandemic: Sentinel

sampling

The main objective of the Sentinel sampling is to act as an early warning system for

detection of local sporadic COVID-19 cases in the community. Initially the
surveillance activities only involved 8 clinics but now it has been extended to 26

clinics. We do not do surveillance for all patients. Patients selected are those with
acute respiratory symptoms who fulfil these criteria: sudden onset of respiratory
infection, i.e. shortness of breath, cough or sore throat with or without fever and do

not have any contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases. Those who fulfil these
criteria will have nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs taken. Before this, we
are asked to do 10 samples per week but now it has increased to 15 patients per

week.

In our clinic, we will send the collected samples to the National Public Health

Laboratory, MKAK in Sungai Buloh. We will fill up the MKAK forms, one copy sent
to the lab (MKAK) and another copy to PKD. The specimens will be taken up in the
VTM, the virus transport media and will be sent to MKAK on the same day. PKD

will trace the results. Those who have positive results will be notified. The patient
will be called, and we will arrange transportation for hospital admission either to

HKL or hospital Sungai Buloh by our designated ambulance. State Health
Department, JKN will analyze the surveillance data on a regular basis and check on
the reports.