The capacity of COVID-19 screening sample testing and detection laboratories in the country has increased to 37,000 cases a day.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said thus far it involved 56 laboratories nationwide compared to 53 laboratories previously.

He said that tests and screenings to detect infected and asymptomatic individuals were the most important elements in ensuring that the outbreak could be stopped.

"Based on the data that we have today, we have tested one million individuals in this country that were screened and underwent a swab test to be sent to laboratories in our country.

He said this at the Johor Dewan Muda Session - Untold Story: Behind the COVID-19 Pandemic, which posted live via the Johor Dewan Muda Facebook page, today.

Dr Adham said Malaysia was among the countries capable of conducting tests at a higher rate compared with other countries affected by COVID-19.

"In Malaysia we can carry out 28 tests per 1,000 population, while in South Korea 26 per 1,000 population, in Japan four per 1,000 population, in Vietnam two per 1,000 population and in Singapore more than 79 tests per 1,000 population.

"So testing and screening for COVID-19 are important to ensure that we can detect and curb the transmission in the early stages so that we can convince the people that we can control the disease," he said.

He also said that screening tests being carried out quickly as well as the additional number of laboratories are among contributing factors for Malaysia to have successfully lowered the number of infections among the community.

-- BERNAMA