KOTA KINABALU: The Federation of Sabah Chinese Women Associations (FSCWA) jointly  with Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu (GKK), will hold a free health awareness talk on “Covid-19 (Coronavirus): What do I need to know” at Sabah Golf & Country Club, here, Saturday (March 7) at 2pm.

FSCWA President, Dr Pamela Yong said the guest speaker will be Dr Timothy William, a Consultant in Infectious Disease & Internal Medicine, who is an expert on infectious disease. 

She said Dr William will share insights and knowledge on Covid-19 which is at current a grave health threat that has not only brought China to its knees but threatening the whole world.

“We believe Malaysia, as well as Sabah, will not be spared if we do not do enough to contain this outbreak,” she said in a statement Monday. 

The Covid-19 was first discovered in Wuhan, China in December last year and it was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on January 30. Despite prudent and swift actions by China and international health authorities to contain it, the virus continued to spread at a rapid pace to 67 countries. 

There are now a total of about 88,600 cases worldwide. The current case fatality rate stands at about 2-3pc with figures standing at over 3,000 deaths globally. Majority of the deaths are among those with underlying medical conditions. 

“The Federation is aware that there are many members of our community are concerned with this virus outbreak, as there are many unknowns about the virus, how it will develop and how long it will last.

“The Federation strongly believes that the only means to beat the outbreak is through effective prevention and containment measures. 

“While the Malaysian Government is doing its best to contain the spread of the virus, common Malaysians must also play their part and exercise social responsibility to prevent or stem any possible spread of the coronavirus within their community. No one measure is fool-proof therefore, collective efforts from all levels of the community is crucial if this virus is to be beaten,” said Dr Yong.  

She said the Federation believes that prevention is the first line of defence against this virus and that effective preventative measures should be exercised by all levels of the community. Hence, the Federation felt prudent to organise the health talk in a bid to heighten the awareness of the community as well as to arm them with accurate knowledge and methods in preventing and containing the spread of the Covid-19.

Dr William, meanwhile, said it is important for the public to get info from verified sources, such as a talk like this, to avoid confusion and panic, especially during a period where fake news are easily shared. 

“We need to be careful and calm when dealing with this situation. Practice good hand hygiene technique by washing your hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub. If you are having flu-like symptoms, avoid crowded places and stay at home” he said.