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For pulmonologist Erlina Burhan, thinking about families who are desperately trying to get care for their loved ones makes her “feel like crying”.

“So many people want to be admitted and put in isolation but we do not have enough space,” said the doctor, who works at Persahabatan Hospital, one of the government’s designated COVID-19 treatment hospitals.

“Some of the staff are COVID-19 positive and they need to rest and quarantine at home. We have less staff now, but more patients. It’s hectic. It’s depressing.”

While she welcomed the new emergency measures, Erlina said the government must go further.

“It’s a bit late. But better late than never … and I would like to say, we need more than what is being offered,” she said.

The bed occupancy rate in her hospital is more than 90 percent and its intensive care unit is at full capacity.

“People I know are crying for help … asking for a bed for their relative … but I can’t help. It’s such a bad feeling,” she said.

“Even within our group of doctors, we say, we’d better not get sick because we don’t even have space in our own hospital.”