COVID: Daily recoveries continue to exceed new cases

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's COVID-19 recovery cases continue to exceed the number of daily new infections when 17,205 recoveries were reported compared to 15,549 new cases as of noon today.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today's numbers bring the country's cumulative recoveries to 1,840,453 people.

He said 1,165 patients are currently being treated in the intensive care unit, comprising 888 confirmed cases while 277 others were suspected and probable cases.

"A total of 689 cases require respiratory aid involving 401 confirmed cases while 288 more are suspected, probable and cases under investigation," he said in a statement today.

Dr Noor Hisham said of the total new infections reported today, 263 cases of 1.7 per cent were in categories three (lung infection), four (requiring oxygen aid) and five (requiring ventilator) while the remaining 15,286 cases or 98.3 per cent were in categories one (asymptomatic) and two (mild symptoms).

He said five of the new cases were imported cases while 15,544 cases were local transmissions involving 13,954 Malaysians.

Dr Noor Hisham also said that 16 new clusters were detected over the last 24 hours, namely 10 workplace clusters, community (four) and high-risk group (two).

On COVID-19 infectivity rate or R-naught (Rt), he said Malaysia recorded an Rt of 0.95 with most states recording an Rt of below 1.0 except Sarawak (1.11), Terengganu (1.05), Perak and Pahang (1.04), Johor (1.01) and Penang (1.00).

The data on fatalities will be uploaded via Github and COVIDNOW at https://covidnow.moh.gov.my.

In another development, Dr Noor Hisham said 2,507 individuals were screened through the Langkawi tourism bubble pilot project today with one individual tested positive through the RTK-Ag self-testing at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Some 2,326 individuals were screened at the airport entryway while 181 others were at the Kuala Perlis ferry terminal.

Dr Noor Hisham said the individual who tested positive for COVID-19 was in category one and has been issued with the Home Surveillance Order (HSO) to undergo quarantine at home for a period of 10 days.

"A total of 2,468 individuals underwent the RTK-Ag tests and RT-PCR (13). Twenty-six children under six were exempted from taking the test," he said.

-- BERNAMA