COVID-19 infection rate soars to 1.72 - MOH

The COVID-19 infection rate, Rt or R naught (R0) has increased to 1.72 in Malaysia from 0.72 two weeks ago, which clearly reflects a riskier situation with more transmissions in the community.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the significant increase also showed that the community may be getting increasingly negligent and disregard the stipulated standard operating procedures (SOP).

Apart from that, based on the Ministry of Health's assessment, there is also an increase in community movement in the country.

"The advice that has been given is starting to be taken lightly, and this also includes frontline staff among health workers as well as other agencies.

"Frontline workers are at high risk of being infected with COVID-19 or other infectious diseases while in government or private health facilities," he said at a press conference on COVID-19 developments today.

Apart from that, said Dr Noor Hisham, health workers can also get infections while being in the community, just like others.

"Therefore, 100 per cent compliance to guidelines and procedures while on duty and off duty is very important.

"Non-compliance to the guidelines will result in the transmission of COVID-19 infection. For example, today there was a health worker from the River Cluster who was found to have infected seven members of his family," he said.

Taking a lesson from the incident, he said the Ministry of Health urged all health workers, frontline staff of various agencies and all walks of life to take the COVID-19 situation in the country seriously.

"Take precautions, take care of ourselves and our families at all time," he said.

-- BERNAMA