COVID: Malaysia records increase in new cases, fatalities - Dr Noor Hisham

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of new COVID-19 cases has increased by 0.8 per cent to 28,554 cases in the 31st epidemiological week (ME 31) from July 31 to Aug 6, comprising 28,499 local cases and 55 imported cases.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said for the same period, the number of fatalities due to COVID-19 increased to 60 cases compared with 49 cases reported in the previous week, which is a 22.4 per cent jump.

"The number of recovered cases in ME 31 decreased by 7.2 per cent, from 30,837 cases to 28,604 cases.

"The average number of active cases per day for ME 31 is 45,941, a 2.6 per cent drop compared with the previous week," he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, the number of admissions of COVID-19 patients to public hospitals and COVID-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centres (PKRC) per 100,000 population remained at 12 for ME 31.

Dr Noor Hisham said the bed occupancy at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) remained at 14 per cent; PKRC beds occupancy decreased by two per cent while non-critical beds recorded an increase of two per cent.

In addition, the percentage of COVID-19 patients who require respiratory support equipment increased by 0.1 per cent in ME 31 compared with ME 30.

He said the positive COVID-19 cases monitored by the COVID-19 Assessment Centres (CAC) nationwide showed a slight drop.

"The number of patient arrivals to CAC fell by 1.7 per cent; new cases undergoing monitoring at home dropped by 1.5 per cent while cases referred by CAC to PKRC and hospitals decreased by 20.9 per cent," he said.

-- BERNAMA