PUTRAJAYA — The fight against COVID-19 in Malaysia has continued to show positive signs with a further 74 recovered patients being discharged, which is almost double the 39 new cases reported as of noon today, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
He said the cumulative number of patients who have recovered and been discharged is 4,776, or 73.9 per cent of the 6,467 positive cases detected so far.
He said the number of active COVID-19 cases now stands at 1,584, and they have been isolated for treatment.
“Of the 39 new cases reported today, one was an imported case. This means there were 38 local infections, including eight detected at clusters and localities under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO),” he told a daily COVID-19 press conference here today.
Dr Noor Hisham said 19 cases were being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with eight of them requiring ventilator support.
He said based on the latest information from the national Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC), no COVID-19-related deaths were reported today.
“The COVID-19 death toll in Malaysia remains at 107, which is 1.65 per cent of the total number of cases,” he added.
He said the Health Ministry (MOH) had identified a new cluster with 10 cases at a shopping centre in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.
They are security personnel comprising nine Nepalese and a Malaysian, he added.
“The source of infection for this cluster is being investigated. Containment and prevention measures are being implemented, like identifying their close contacts and workers for COVID-19 screening,” he said.
He said COVID-19 tests would also be conducted on their housemates, who are workers of a related supermarket.
He said that so far 436 people linked to the cluster had been tested, with the 10 cases turning out positive and 347 negative while the results for the remaining 79 are pending.
On the Wesak Day celebration, Dr Noor Hisham hoped that it would be observed according to the new normal as mass gatherings and visits among people from different households are still not allowed.
“The Conditional Movement Control Order (EMCO) needs to be adhered to. Ensure safe social distancing of at least one metre and do not organise or join mass gatherings,” he added.
He also reminded employers in the economic sectors which have been allowed to resume operations to abide by the standard operating procedures (SOPs) the authorities had set for them.
He said MOH would continue to monitor developments on the COVID-19 pandemic through information from the World Health Organisation, apart from continuing with the necessary containment and prevention measures.
— BERNAMA
