28.8 per cent drop in new COVID-19 cases last week - Health DG

He said there was also an increase in COVID-19 recovery cases reported during the week.

During the Epiweek from May 15 to May 21, the number of new COVID-19 cases in the country decreased by 28.8 per cent to 13,630 cases compared to 19,137 in the previous week, he said, adding that this brought the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia now at 4,489,503 cases with 28,085 active cases.

On the number of recovery cases, it increased by 21.1 percent or 12,618 cases to 15,278 cases during the 20th Epiweek.

"COVID-19 death cases in the 20th Epiweek showed a decrease of 29 cases compared to 33 cases in the previous week, bringing the cumulative number of death due to COVID-19 to 35,641 cases," he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to health facilities, namely to public hospitals and the Quarantine and Treatment Centres (PKRCs) per 100,000 residents also dropped by nine per cent for the same week compared to the previous week.

"The admission of COVID-19 patients to public hospitals per 100,000 population also decreased by 50 percent involving all categories of patients," he added.

Dr Noor Hisham said the usage of COVID-19 beds also dropped during the 20th Epiweek from the 19th week.

The use of ICU beds decreased by 33 per cent, while there was no change in the use of PKRC beds and critical beds from the 19th week to the 20th week, he added.

He said positive cases monitored by COVID-19 Assessment Centres (CAC) nationwide also showed a decline, with patient arrivals to CAC decreasing by 5.2 per cent and the number of new COVID-19 cases undergoing home monitoring decreasing by 26.6 percent.

"The number of COVID-19 cases referred by CAC to PKRC or hospital decreased by 18.7 percent," he said.